Skip to main content

Making AI Work for You: A Beginner’s Guide to Real-World AI

Join Microsoft Reactor and engage with developers, entrepreneurs, and startups live

Ready to get started with AI and the latest technologies? Microsoft Reactor provides events, training, and community resources to help developers, entrepreneurs and startups build on AI technology and more. Join us!

Making AI Work for You: A Beginner’s Guide to Real-World AI

Join Microsoft Reactor and engage with developers, entrepreneurs, and startups live

Ready to get started with AI and the latest technologies? Microsoft Reactor provides events, training, and community resources to help developers, entrepreneurs and startups build on AI technology and more. Join us!

Go back

Making AI Work for You: A Beginner’s Guide to Real-World AI

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

  • Events in this Series:
  • 3

Welcome to the Access Innovators Network Season 2: Artificial intelligence is no longer just for tech experts or large corporations—it’s becoming part of how we work, learn, and innovate every day. But for many, especially people with disabilities, the path to understanding and using AI can feel complex or out of reach. This three-part online event series, hosted by Microsoft Reactor in collaboration with the Access Innovators Network, is part of our Season 2 programming and is designed to break down those barriers.

Through practical, beginner-friendly conversations with experienced professionals, we’ll explore how AI can be used by anyone—whether you are an entrepreneur, a professional, a person with a disability looking to level up your skills, or someone curious about how AI can make life and work easier. Each session will provide clear, real-world examples of how AI is being used in workplaces, how non-technical teams can adopt AI tools, and how innovators can protect and grow their AI-driven ideas. Our goal is to empower participants, including people with disabilities, to better understand how to use AI in ways that are meaningful, accessible, and inclusive.

Watch Season 1 of the Access Innovators Network on demand: https://aka.ms/AccessInnovatorsNetworkS1

Upcoming Events

Click on an event below to learn more and register for individual events.

All times in - Coordinated Universal Time

Jun

25

Wednesday

2025

How Everyday Teams Can Use AI: Making Innovation Accessible Across the Workplace

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (UTC)

About this event: In the third and final session of Access Innovators Network Season 2, Juan Olarte will speak with Taylor Arndt, a blind technologist and accessibility advocate, about how AI can be used across teams—not just by developers or engineers. This conversation will explore how everyday professionals—whether you're in operations, advocacy, communications, or community-building—can begin experimenting with AI in meaningful ways. Taylor brings both technical expertise and lived experience to the conversation, offering practical ideas on how teams can start using AI while keeping accessibility and inclusion at the center. This session is designed to be welcoming and beginner-friendly, especially for those who may not have a tech background but want to understand how AI can support their work. Who is it aimed at? Professionals, advocates, team leads, educators, and anyone curious about how AI can be applied in real-world, inclusive ways. What You’ll Learn: Where AI can support everyday workflows, communication, and planning How to choose beginner-friendly AI tools with accessibility in mind What it means to include people with disabilities in the AI process How to build a culture of inclusive experimentation and learning You don’t need to be technical to use AI—you just need to start where you are. Join us to explore how AI can be a tool for everyone.

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

Details

Speakers

Past Events in this Series

All times in - Coordinated Universal Time

Apr

30

Wednesday

2025

What’s an AI Project Manager and Why It Matters: A Practical Guide

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (UTC)

About this event: In this first session of the Access Innovators Network Season 2 series, Juan Olarte will sit down with Richa, an experienced AI product and project management professional, to explore what it really means to manage AI projects—and why it matters for everyone, not just tech experts. Many people hear about artificial intelligence but don’t realize that AI projects aren’t just built by developers—they also require project managers, business leaders, and people who understand how to bring teams together to make AI solutions work. This beginner-friendly conversation will explain how AI projects are run, how non-technical professionals can get involved, and how these roles can help create more accessible and inclusive AI solutions. Whether you’re new to AI, curious about how it can be applied in business, or looking to build your career in the field, this session will show you how to get started. Who is it aimed at? This event is ideal for professionals, project managers, entrepreneurs, accessibility advocates, and anyone curious about how AI projects work and how they can contribute—even without a technical background. What You’ll Learn: What an AI product or project manager does and why this role is essential Key skills and strategies to participate in or manage AI projects How AI project management can support accessibility and inclusion Real-world examples of AI projects in business, social good, and accessibility initiatives Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how you can be part of the AI conversation—no coding required. Register now and take the first step toward understanding how AI projects are shaping the future of work and accessibility.

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

View on Demand

May

28

Wednesday

2025

What Founders and Innovators Need to Know About Protecting Their Work

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (UTC)

About this event: In this second session of the Access Innovators Network Season 2 series, Juan Olarte will speak with Brian Chau, an entrepreneur and advisor with deep experience in supporting AI-driven startups and innovators. This conversation will focus on an essential but often overlooked part of working with AI—how to protect your ideas, services, and intellectual property. For many founders, small business owners, and creative professionals, understanding how to use AI is only one part of the equation. The other part is knowing how to build a sustainable and protected business around it. Brian will share practical guidance on what innovators need to think about when launching AI products or services, how to safeguard their work, and how to plan for long-term growth in an increasingly competitive and AI-driven marketplace. Who is it aimed at? This event is ideal for entrepreneurs, startups, accessibility advocates, and anyone working on AI-related projects who wants to understand how to protect and grow their work. What You’ll Learn: The basics of intellectual property and how it applies to AI-driven services Practical steps founders and innovators can take to protect their work Common mistakes to avoid when building AI-enabled businesses How accessible and ethical AI innovation can become a long-term business advantage If you’re building or planning to build an AI-enabled service or product, don’t miss this important conversation. Register now and learn how to safeguard your ideas while making a positive impact.

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

View on Demand

Register for this series

Sign in with your Microsoft Account

Sign in

Or enter your email address to register

*

By registering for this event you agree to abide by the Microsoft Reactor Code of Conduct.

Past Events in this Series

All times in - Coordinated Universal Time

Apr

30

Wednesday

2025

What’s an AI Project Manager and Why It Matters: A Practical Guide

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (UTC)

About this event: In this first session of the Access Innovators Network Season 2 series, Juan Olarte will sit down with Richa, an experienced AI product and project management professional, to explore what it really means to manage AI projects—and why it matters for everyone, not just tech experts. Many people hear about artificial intelligence but don’t realize that AI projects aren’t just built by developers—they also require project managers, business leaders, and people who understand how to bring teams together to make AI solutions work. This beginner-friendly conversation will explain how AI projects are run, how non-technical professionals can get involved, and how these roles can help create more accessible and inclusive AI solutions. Whether you’re new to AI, curious about how it can be applied in business, or looking to build your career in the field, this session will show you how to get started. Who is it aimed at? This event is ideal for professionals, project managers, entrepreneurs, accessibility advocates, and anyone curious about how AI projects work and how they can contribute—even without a technical background. What You’ll Learn: What an AI product or project manager does and why this role is essential Key skills and strategies to participate in or manage AI projects How AI project management can support accessibility and inclusion Real-world examples of AI projects in business, social good, and accessibility initiatives Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how you can be part of the AI conversation—no coding required. Register now and take the first step toward understanding how AI projects are shaping the future of work and accessibility.

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

View on Demand

May

28

Wednesday

2025

What Founders and Innovators Need to Know About Protecting Their Work

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM (UTC)

About this event: In this second session of the Access Innovators Network Season 2 series, Juan Olarte will speak with Brian Chau, an entrepreneur and advisor with deep experience in supporting AI-driven startups and innovators. This conversation will focus on an essential but often overlooked part of working with AI—how to protect your ideas, services, and intellectual property. For many founders, small business owners, and creative professionals, understanding how to use AI is only one part of the equation. The other part is knowing how to build a sustainable and protected business around it. Brian will share practical guidance on what innovators need to think about when launching AI products or services, how to safeguard their work, and how to plan for long-term growth in an increasingly competitive and AI-driven marketplace. Who is it aimed at? This event is ideal for entrepreneurs, startups, accessibility advocates, and anyone working on AI-related projects who wants to understand how to protect and grow their work. What You’ll Learn: The basics of intellectual property and how it applies to AI-driven services Practical steps founders and innovators can take to protect their work Common mistakes to avoid when building AI-enabled businesses How accessible and ethical AI innovation can become a long-term business advantage If you’re building or planning to build an AI-enabled service or product, don’t miss this important conversation. Register now and learn how to safeguard your ideas while making a positive impact.

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

View on Demand

For questions please contact us at reactor@microsoft.com