Tech the Halls: AI Workshop - Your Business Assistant

The Bedford County Chamber is pleased to partner with Problem Solutions, UDNI and ACM Bedford County Campus to bring this valuable Technology Workshop to the business community of the Bedford County region.
AI as Your Business Assistant: Transforming AI from Tool to Team-Member
Working in business often means wearing every hat—marketing, customer service, HR, and everything in between. If you’re not using AI yet, this session is designed just for you. We’ll break down the super-basic, no-tech-experience-required steps of getting started with AI tools that can lighten your workload and help you reclaim valuable time.
In this workshop, we’ll explore:
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Where to begin: how to choose and set up an AI assistant that fits your needs.
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Free vs. paid plans: what’s included, what’s worth paying for, and how to decide.
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Real tasks AI can take off your plate: from writing social media posts and website copy to drafting emails, customer service responses, press releases, event plans, and more.
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Using AI to set healthy boundaries: crafting on-brand, confident messages that support your policies and in a tone of your choosing.
This is a fun, interactive session—bring your tablet or laptop and expect real-time demos so you can see exactly how AI works, how to talk to it, and how it can immediately start supporting your business.
Perfect for and anyone juggling more tasks than time. Come ready to explore, learn, and leave with practical tools you can use the same day.
Meet Our Speaker

Michael Hruska is a technologist with experiences spanning across standards, emerging
technologies, learning, and science. He is a former researcher at the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST). Mike provides technology, business model and innovation
solutions to Fortune 500, government and startups. His team has been stewarding the efforts
for the last 6+ years at the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative on the Experience API
(xAPI). He researches, strategizes, designs, and makes advanced technology solutions and
products. His team has built award winning products and delivered solutions that support
millions of users. Michael’s experience spans the continuum between advanced research on
adaptive learning ecosystems and solution/product design.
Michael is a member of the e-Learning Guild, the Association for Training and Development
(ATD), the Society for Applied Learning Technologies (SALT), and the National Defense and
Industrial Association (NDIA) and regularly presents at industry events.
Michael currently serves in a board capacity on the Goodwill Industries of Conemaugh Valley,
and the Young Professionals of the Alleghenies. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the
University of Pittsburgh (Johnstown). He has previously held board positions at the Cambria
County Chamber of Commerce, the Somerset County Economic Development Council, Venue of
Merging Arts (VOMA), United Way of the Laurel Highlands, and the Johnstown Business District
Development Corporation (JBDDC).
Michael hosts a monthly entrepreneur meetup and other events to support local and regional
entrepreneurship. He serves as a mentor and guide for a number of startups. He also serves as
an advisor the Robert Water Trust Fund at the Community Foundation of the Alleghenies to
support entrepreneurship.
Date and Time
Tuesday Dec 9, 2025
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
Tuesday, December 9th
11:30am - Check-in, Lunch Pick-Up
12:15pm - Intro to AI
1::00pm - Office 365 Copilot & Security Overview
2:00pm - AI Agent Workshop and Mind-Blowing Real World Applications
Location
ACM Bedford County Campus
18 N River Ln
Everett, PA 15537
Fees/Admission
$35 per person for Chamber Members
($55 for not-yet Chamber Members)
Includes Lunch
Contact Information
Kellie Goodman Shaffer
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