Written by Gabriela Mucientes

The aim of this workshop was simple: to help women entrepreneurs feel at home with artificial intelligence — not as something technical and out of reach, but as a practical, everyday tool for running and growing a business. The session focused on building confidence and critical thinking around AI, from its everyday uses to the questions that don’t always get asked.

It was delivered in person using an interactive, peer-led methodology. The session followed the jigsaw method: each participant took on a topic, got to grips with it, then came back to their group to teach it to the others. Because everyone had to explain what they had learned, the learning stuck — and the trainer’s role was to guide rather than lecture.

Overall Experience

The atmosphere was supportive and collaborative, which made AI feel approachable rather than intimidating. Instead of watching a demonstration, participants learned mostly from each other, sharing tools, lived experience, and different perspectives drawn from running their own businesses. Everyone left having taken something away, whether a new tool, a fresh perspective, or the reassurance of knowing they were already on the right track.

Digital Toolkit & Learning Path

The session drew on the AI Demystified module from the WOMEN 5.0 Digital Toolkit. The structure was clear and easy to follow, with topics flowing naturally from one to the next — a transferability that made the learning feel connected rather than fragmented. The format itself proved a real strength, and could easily be applied to other topics across the Women 5.0 resources.

Impact & Application

The workshop had an immediate, practical impact. Participants discovered tools they hadn’t known existed, passed along by peers who used them every day, and left with concrete ways to put them to work — using AI to handle smaller, repetitive jobs such as social media content, freeing up time for higher-priority work. Just as importantly, the session encouraged a critical eye, opening honest conversations about issues like bias in AI and why it pays to stay sceptical.

Beyond the tools, simply coming together made a difference on a personal level. Entrepreneurship can be isolating, and meeting peers helped ease the imposter syndrome that often comes with not understanding something — turning “not knowing” into the start of a conversation rather than something to hide.

Looking Ahead

Participants were keen for the learning to continue, expressing strong interest in a pathway of connected sessions, where a workshop like this becomes a stepping stone to the next rather than a one-off. There was also appetite for resources pitched at different levels, so trainers can pick and choose to match the experience in the room.

One of the most rewarding aspects was watching participants grow more comfortable and connected over just a couple of hours. It was a reminder that demystifying AI is not really about turning people into experts — it is about helping them feel the tools belong to them, and that they are not figuring any of it out alone.