Hands-on Agentic AI for Leaders
James Gray
UC Berkeley Instructor | Former CIO/CPO
This course is popular
3 people enrolled last week.
From AI User to AI Builder in 30 Days
You can't lead what you don't understand. Most leaders don't understand AI.
You know AI could transform your organization. But when you move beyond ChatGPT:
Too much noise → What actually matters?
Theory without application → Can't build anything real
Stuck at prompting → Can't orchestrate AI autonomously
Can't reimagine processes → Hard to see what's possible until you build it yourself
In 4 weeks: Go from AI user to AI builder, with production workflows running in your business.
Once you build hands-on, you'll connect the dots and see opportunities everywhere.
✅ Ship workflows saving 5-10 hours weekly
✅ Reimagine processes—know what's possible
✅ Speak credibly with technical teams
✅ Cut through noise with proven patterns
✅ Automate end-to-end processes
I filter out noise, meet you where you are, and get you building fast.
Ship real solutions weekly, not theory.
Berkeley-caliber instruction, intimate 25-person cohorts
Office hours + 1:1 coaching for YOUR challenges
Supportive environment where it's safe to learn
Lifetime access, monthly updates
Proof: 4.8/5 rating, Maven top 10, 250+ alumni
Bottom line: Leaders who orchestrate AI outpace those who prompt. Close the gap here.
What you’ll learn
Turn AI into your competitive advantage—automate, optimize, and lead smarter with agentic workflows.
Configure AI profiles, memory, and custom instructions to personalize model output
Build a version-controlled prompt library for instant access to proven, high-performing prompts
Integrate AI models into your code editor (Cursor/VS Code) to build and improve your prompts in markdown
Co-write and polish executive-level content using AI assistants as your editor and co-author
Design research workflows with AI assistants that synthesize insights from multiple sources
Analyze data and solve complex problems using AI reasoning models and vision tools
Design prompting patterns and instructions that control workflow execution, branching logic, and task sequences
Connect AI assistants to business tools (e.g., Gmail, Slack, CRM) through MCP integrations
Configure specialized AI assistants (ChatGPT, Claude) with custom instructions that orchestrate multi-step workflows
Deconstruct workflows into agentic steps, enabling AI to execute complex tasks autonomously
Analyze orchestration patterns to design scalable workflows
Apply grounding principles to build reliable AI systems that minimize hallucinations
Design custom AI assistants with specialized instructions that execute your unique workflows
Package proprietary expertise into Claude Skills that activate automatically when needed
Compose multi-step workflows using AI browsers (Claude for Chrome, Comet, Chrome, ChatGPT Atlas) for web-based tasks
Deploy autonomous ChatGPT agents that execute complex workflows in Agent mode
Configure workflows visually with OpenAI Agent Builder and integrate chat interfaces with ChatKit
Build no-code Claude Code subagents—a dream team of specialists that collaborate to achieve your goals
Learn directly from James
James Gray
James Gray
UC Berkeley AI Instructor | Former CIO/CPO | Trained 5,000+ Leaders
Who this course is for
Leaders and professionals who believe in “learning by doing” by using cutting-edge tools and building AI solutions hands-on.
Leaders who must understand the latest AI capabilities to drive an AI-powered business strategy credibly.
Professionals who must boost their AI technology acumen to strengthen collaboration and influence with technical stakeholders.
Prerequisites
You have a paid subscription to one or more: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini
The course extensively utilizes AI assistants, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. Some lessons are unique to these tools.
No coding experience
The course does not require coding experience, but we will use AI code editors (Cursor/VS Code) to build and refine prompts
Learning in a small, supportive cohort
This cohort experience is for people who learn best in small groups and value personalized feedback from an experienced instructor.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from James Gray in a real-time, interactive format.
Personalized 1:1 coaching
When you are stuck or want to go deep on your unique use case, book a 1:1 slot at a time that works for your busy schedule
Lifetime access
Go back to course content and recordings whenever you need to. The content is updated monthly.
Private LinkedIn Group
The learning continues after the course with bi-weekly live sessions to share the latest AI tech and ways to create business value.
Community of peers
Stay accountable and share insights with like-minded professionals.
Certificate of completion
Share your new skills with your employer or on LinkedIn.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Syllabus
28 live sessions • 56 lessons • 24 projects
Week 1
Jan
6
Hands-on Agentic AI Session 1 - 11 AM US ET
Tue 1/64:00 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)Jan
6
Hands-on Agentic AI Session 1 (repeat) - 6 PM US ET
Tue 1/611:00 PM—1:00 AM (UTC)Jan
7
Optional: Hands-on Agentic AI Office Hours - 11 AM US ET
Wed 1/74:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)OptionalJan
7
Optional: Hands-on Agentic AI Office Hours - 6 PM US ET
Wed 1/711:00 PM—12:00 AM (UTC)OptionalJan
8
Hands-on Agentic AI Session 2 - 11 AM US ET
Thu 1/84:00 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)Jan
8
Hands-on Agentic AI Session 2 (repeat) - 6 PM US ET
Thu 1/811:00 PM—1:00 AM (UTC)Jan
10
Optional: Hands-on Agentic AI Office Hours - Noon US ET
Sat 1/105:00 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)Optional
Accelerate Leader Productivity & Impact - Live Session 1
Accelerate Leader Productivity & Impact - Live Session 2
Strategic Discovery
Launch Your AI Productivity Stack
Prompt Engineering and Context Engineering
Content Creation Use Cases
Week 2
Jan
13
Hands-on Agentic AI Session 3 - 11 AM US ET
Tue 1/134:00 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)Jan
13
Hands-on Agentic AI Session 3 (repeat) - 6 PM US ET
Tue 1/1311:00 PM—1:00 AM (UTC)Jan
14
Optional: Hands-on Agentic AI Office Hours - 11 AM US ET
Wed 1/144:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)OptionalJan
14
Optional: Hands-on Agentic AI Office Hours - 6 PM US ET
Wed 1/1411:00 PM—12:00 AM (UTC)OptionalJan
15
Hands-on Agentic AI Session 4 - 11 AM US ET
Thu 1/154:00 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)Jan
15
Hands-on Agentic AI Session 4 (repeat) - 6 PM US ET
Thu 1/1511:00 PM—1:00 AM (UTC)Jan
17
Optional: Hand-on Agentic AI Office Hours - Noon US ET
Sat 1/175:00 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)Optional
Agentic Workflows with AI Assistants - Live Session 3
Agentic Workflows with AI Assistants - Live Session 4
Research Use Cases
Data Analysis Use Cases
Ideation/Strategy Use Cases
Agentic Workflows Foundation
Agentic Workflows with Prompts
Agentic Workflows with M365 Copilot
[BONUS] Agentic Workflows with Zapier and Make Platforms
Free lesson
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How to Build Agentic AI as a Leader
Fundamentals of agentic systems
Gain foundational knowledge of agentic systems and their applications in automating tasks and business processes.
Designing and deploying agentic systems
Learn the process of designing, building, and deploying simple AI agents using no-code and pro-code approaches.
A live demonstration of a multi-agent system
Observe a real-time walkthrough of building and deploying a multi-agent system.
Schedule
Live sessions
4-6 hrs / week
4 hours of live instruction + assignments to apply AI to your use cases
Tue, Jan 6
4:00 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)
Tue, Jan 6
11:00 PM—1:00 AM (UTC)
Wed, Jan 7
4:00 PM—5:00 PM (UTC)
Projects
1 hr / week
Assignments are additional practice to complement the live session's hands-on exercises
Async content
1-2 hrs / week
optional for additional study and tech setup
Success stories
- This journey transformed me from a curious non-programmer into someone who can actually create AI workflows and agentic systems. Huge thank you to James Gray for creating such a supportive learning environment where theory and practical application went hand in hand.
Istvan Borbino, PhD
Healthcare Innovator - I’ve always approached AI with a systems mindset, and taking James Gray's Hands-on AI Leadership course reinforced the importance of structuring AI workflows beyond just intelligence—it’s about reasoning, planning, and executing in a way that scales.
Sarah Payne
AI Strategy & Execution - Just completed James Gray's "Hands-on AI for High-Performance Leaders" course — a transformative experience that elevated my AI expertise through practical applications, possibly the best pound-for-pound learning experience I've had.
James Cameron
Cybersecurity & AI Executive Advisor - A huge thank you to James Gray for his incredible dedication and technical expertise throughout the course. This learning journey has equipped me with the knowledge to leverage AI in innovative ways and strategically lead AI-driven projects. Excited to apply these new skills to create value and drive transformation!
Corina Richter
Transformational Leader - I vibe-coded my first app in Cursor today. The hype train makes it sound like your grandparents could do this. Mine could not. These tools are incredibly powerful and the fact that I could do this at all (with a lot of help from James Gray, my class on Maven, and Claude), is a testament to how far they've come. I am blown away!
Lauren Taylor
Strategic Early-Stage Capital
Frequently asked questions
$1,000
USD