Generative AI for Absolute Beginners

A 60-Minute Hands-On Workshop

Vibe Coding AI is a new, creative way to build AI applications with AI—fast, idea-driven, and surprisingly accessible. But to build AI applications effectively with AI, you need a foundation in Python. This workshop is your on-ramp.

Whether you’re brand new to coding or returning after a break, this session will give you a confident start with Python—the most popular language in AI development today.

### 🧭 What We’ll Cover

In this 60-minute workshop, you’ll learn by doing, using a series of beginner-friendly Jupyter notebooks:

• How to write and run Python code interactively
• Key programming concepts: variables, input/output, conditionals, loops, lists, and functions
• How to build small but powerful programs like a quiz app
• Why mastering these fundamentals matters when building AI-powered applications

### 🔧 Tools We’ll Use

• Python – the essential language for AI, data science, and scientific programming
• Jupyter Notebooks – an interactive coding environment that’s great for beginners
• MyBinder – run notebooks directly in your browser, no installation needed

### 📦 Materials & Access

All participants will receive access to:

• The complete set of annotated Jupyter notebooks
• A MyBinder launch link to run notebooks live in the cloud
• Solution notebooks and wrap-up materials to keep learning after the session

### 👥 Who Should Attend

This workshop is ideal for:

• Absolute beginners to programming or Python
• Learners with some coding experience who want a clear and structured Python refresher
• Anyone curious about how Python connects to AI development

This session is designed to be hands-on, accessible, and encouraging. No prior knowledge required—just curiosity and a willingness to experiment.

[Note: This workshop is cross-listed in Vibe Code AI for Absolute Beginners]

### A 60-Minute Workshop

Before you write a single line of code, you need to design the context your AI will operate in.

Context engineering is the foundation of effective of building AI applications. It’s not just about prompts—it’s about defining the purpose, the users, the data, and the behavior of your system through thoughtful design.

In this hands-on workshop, we’ll introduce the essentials of context engineering, then dive into the key design documents every AI project should start with. You’ll use these documents to begin building your own AI prototype.

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### 🧭 What We’ll Cover

• What context engineering is—and why it matters
• The four key documents to create before coding
• How good design improves AI behavior
• A guided start to building your own prototype using these docs

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### 📘 What We’ll Learn

• How to define your app’s purpose and scope using a Product Requirements Document (PRD)
• How to map user interactions through UX flows
• How to sketch a simple system architecture
• How to break development into phases with a project roadmap
• How these documents shape the behavior of AI models from the start

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### 👥 Who Should Attend

This session is for students and builders working with AI models like Ollama or cloud APIs. No prior experience with context engineering required.

All materials and templates will be provided.