Designing your first AI powered service

In one morning you will map one of your own services from start to finish and build a working AI agent for part of it, ready to keep using afterwards.

This is a hands-on working session, not an introduction to AI. It is for people who run a business or a service and want to build something real. Bring a service or process you already run, and be ready to work on it during the session.

Serge van Dam will show you how to design an AI-powered service: where AI fits into a customer's experience, what to automate first, and how to test it. You will build your agent on Autohive, with credits provided, so there is nothing to pay for on the day and nothing to set up beforehand apart from bringing a laptop.

To get the most from the day you should have used AI before, even just a chatbot like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. This is not a session about whether AI is worth using. It assumes you are past that and ready to build.

Please note: Autohive is a platform Serge is an investor in. We are using it because it suits the workshop, and the skills carry across to other tools.

If you are newer to AI, or you want to get confident with one tool first, our Claude workshops are a better place to start.

Places are limited, so please book early.

Date and time: Friday 30 October 2026, 9:00am to 12:15pm
Location: Trafalgar Park
Tickets: $195 (incl. GST).

Know before you go

• A charged laptop, essential

• A real service or process from your work to build around

• Some experience using an AI chatbot (ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini)

• Autohive credits are provided on the day

About Serge

Serge van Dam is an investor in several New Zealand AI companies and an Operating Partner at the venture capital firm Movac. He co-founded the AI training company AI Supercharge and advises government agencies including MBIE and NZTE. He began his career as an organisational psychologist and change manager.

Serge is also giving a free public talk the evening before, Thursday 29 October: Wake Up to AI: A Call to Arms for Nelson. [talk link]

About the AI Sandbox

The Nelson AI Sandbox is a not-for-profit community initiative based in Nelson and Christchuch. Our mission is to empower and educate the community in the use of AI, making the technology accessible to everyone, at whatever pace suits. Find us at aisandbox.org.nz.