A first experience with AI
I am starting a study group with people around me who find it difficult to begin using AI. The experience I want them to take away is simple: discovering something they can do, then realizing it is easier to try than they expected.
The group starts with people I know. The first online meeting is an orientation, with participants sharing what they would like to do with AI. Their feedback will help us choose a common topic for the first hands-on session.
Resources and a place to try
The learning site connects AI concepts, tools, examples, and materials through a graph and list view. It gives people a way to explore what is possible and follow related ideas.
Alongside it, I built a browser-based practice lab that prepares individual development environments with coding agents and session materials. The lab supports managing the practice sessions and their resource limits. It is being prepared for use with the group; participant outcomes have not yet been established.
The plan is to include about 20 minutes of practice in each meeting from the following week. Prepared materials and sandbox environments should help participants spend that short time trying things and making progress.
Current stage
The group is beginning with acquaintances. After gaining experience running it, I may open participation more broadly with members sharing the sandbox and model API costs. That format is still being considered.
The public site is available to explore. It does not currently offer open enrollment in the study group.