Arizona business owners pack Scottsdale AI bootcamp

By AI, Created 4:39 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – More than 80 Arizona business owners attended AI AZ’s inaugural Claude & Cloning 101 Bootcamp Night in Scottsdale on May 8, signaling rising demand for practical AI training in the state’s business community. The event featured national AI leaders, drew coverage from Tucson Business Magazine, and set monthly meetings for the fast-growing community.

Why it matters: - More than 80 Arizona business owners showed up in Scottsdale to learn how AI can be used in day-to-day business operations. - The turnout suggests Arizona entrepreneurs are moving past curiosity and into implementation. - AI AZ said it will keep building a local network for business owners who want AI education and support.

What happened: - AI AZ hosted its inaugural Claude & Cloning 101 Bootcamp Night on May 8, 2026, at Tocaya Modern Mexican at Scottsdale Fashion Square. - Tucson Business Magazine covered the event on site. - The reservation-only event drew more than 80 business owners. - AI AZ described its Facebook community as 500 members strong. - The event was organized by Julia McCoy of First Movers AI and Matt Leitz, founder of BotBuilders. - National AI experts, including Omaha-based 316 Strategy Group, attended to support Arizona’s AI community.

The details: - McCoy presented her approach to AI “clones,” which are AI-powered systems trained on a person’s knowledge and voice to create, work and engage audiences around the clock. - McCoy’s own AI clone has generated more than 2 million YouTube views, passed 250,000 subscribers and brings in more than $15,000 a month in ad revenue. - First Movers AI is helping businesses build similar systems through a done-for-you model with BotBuilders in the Phoenix metro area. - McCoy told the audience, “AI doesn’t replace people. It makes the right ones unstoppable.” - McCoy also said, “We don’t believe in autonomous, zero-human AI. AI that delights your audience is AI done right.” - Joseph Kenney, founder of 316 Strategy Group and Bullseye AI, traveled from Nebraska for the event. - Kenney and his colleague made the trip from Omaha, underscoring the event’s reach beyond Arizona. - 316 Strategy Group works on AI Visibility, a service focused on helping businesses stay discoverable and competitive in AI-driven search and marketplaces. - Jake Bollig, founder of Hyflos and a NeuroPerformance Scientist, also appeared at the event. - Bollig’s patent-pending brain-wave performance tools for elite athletes were presented as an example of the niche businesses AI AZ wants to serve.

Between the lines: - The event framed AI less as a future technology and more as a current business tool. - The mix of local owners, national experts and niche operators shows AI adoption cutting across industries and company sizes. - Kenney’s attendance points to growing national interest in how businesses can adapt to AI-driven discovery and competition. - The emphasis on “clones” reflects a broader push to automate content and audience engagement without removing human oversight.

What’s next: - Matt Leitz said AI AZ plans to host one event every month. - The AI AZ Facebook community remains open to Arizona business owners looking for connection, education and help navigating AI. - Tucson Business Magazine said more coverage of Arizona’s innovation ecosystem is part of its broader reporting focus.

The bottom line: - Scottsdale’s first AI AZ bootcamp suggests Arizona’s business community is turning AI education into a recurring, local meetup movement.