The business community in Akron, Ohio, recently gathered for a transformative experience at the AI Hands-On Workshop hosted by IT Impact. Led by Juan Soto and Renier Soto, the event focused on shifting the narrative from AI theory to practical implementation.
For those who couldn’t attend, here is a wrap-up of the lessons learned and why “doing” beats “watching” every time.
Starting from the Ground Up
When designing this workshop, Juan Soto faced a choice: beginner, intermediate, or advanced. He ultimately chose a beginner-focused curriculum, a decision that proved vital as many local businesses were just starting to explore how AI fits into their operations.
The goal was simple: demystify the tech. Attendees weren’t just listeners; they were required to bring laptops to engage in a true hands-on experience. Participants learned everything from signing up for an AI agent to choosing the right tools, with a particular recommendation for Gemini due to its versatile ability to handle graphics, video, and music.
Why AI Matters Now
The workshop emphasized that AI is no longer optional for businesses that want to stay competitive. Companies effectively embracing practical AI tools are seeing massive gains, including:
- Saving 10-20 hours per week per employee.
- Tripling decision-making speed.
- Scaling operations without needing to immediately increase headcount.
Masterclass in Prompt Engineering
A core pillar of the day was mastering the PRD (Prompt, Refine, Deliver) Technique. Attendees moved past “bad prompts” to learn how specificity and clear instructions generate high-quality results.
Common mistakes the group tackled included:
- Overprompting: Keeping instructions focused to avoid confusing the AI.
- Vague Inputs: Understanding that precise needs lead to precise outputs.
- Expecting Instant Perfection: Learning that the first draft is just the beginning—refinement is where the magic happens.
The “Vibe Coding” Breakthrough
One of the most popular segments was the “Vibe Coding” exercise. This concept allows users to describe what they want in plain language, letting the AI generate the underlying code or solution. Participants were amazed at how quickly they could build and iterate, opening their eyes to the simplicity of modern AI.
Industry-Specific Applications
AI isn’t one-size-fits-all. The workshop explored diverse use cases across several sectors:
- Law Firms: Using AI for contract review, legal research, and document drafting.
- Manufacturing: Streamlining production scheduling, quality reports, and safety documentation.
- Sales & Marketing: Automating lead qualification, content creation, and scaling email campaigns.
- Professional Services: Managing meeting notes, client reporting, and proposal writing.
What’s Next?
The Akron workshop was a resounding success, and the momentum is only growing.
Ready to get started? Your challenge this week is to identify one repetitive task and build a prompt to automate it.
Join the community:
- Connect with Juan Soto and Renier Soto on LinkedIn.
- Join the AI Showcase group on LinkedIn to stay updated on future events.
- Save the Date: IT Impact is heading to Chicago in June for the next physical workshop.
Whether we see you in Chicago or at a future virtual webinar, the message is clear: don’t wait for the revolution to pass you by. Start implementing today.
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