Working and living with AI – Masterclass Summit comes to Johannesburg & Cape Town
This March, the AI Masterclass Summit comes to Johannesburg and Cape Town, offering a hands-on, high-impact learning experience for professionals, business owners and organisations seeking practical, confident ways to work with artificial intelligence.
As AI rapidly reshapes productivity, creativity and decision-making across industries, many feel pressured to respond but lack clarity on how to do so meaningfully. The two-day AI Masterclass Summit has been designed to address this gap, translating artificial intelligence from hype and abstraction into strategic thinking, tools and workflows that can be applied immediately.
Presented by Future School AI, an education organisation with more than 15 years’ experience in higher education and professional training, the Summit prioritises depth, relevance and real-world impact. “Right now, too many people feel they’re falling behind or they’re overwhelmed and stuck,” says Trenton Birch, one of the founders of Future School AI and a recognised progressive leader in education. “This Summit is about cutting through confusion and helping people understand how AI actually works so they can integrate it into their work and their personal lives in ways that genuinely add value.”
Each city edition of the AI Masterclass Summit is intentionally limited to 100 participants, creating an immersive, laptop-open learning environment that enables genuine engagement with experts, peers and live AI systems.
Unlike traditional conferences that focus on scale or surface-level inspiration, the AI Masterclass Summit is structured around six intensive masterclasses, each designed to build practical capability and long-term confidence:
- AI Fundamentals & Strategic Thinking – understanding what AI is, what it is not, and how to think clearly about its implications
- AI Tools, Process Flow & Integration – learning core tools and designing workflows that integrate AI into daily work
- Productivity & Business Growth with AI – applying AI to improve efficiency, decision-making and competitive advantage
- Creative & Human-Centred AI – using AI to enhance creativity, problem-solving and human capability
- Humanoids, Agentic AI & the Future of Work – exploring autonomous systems and their impact on jobs, education and society
- Future-Proofing Careers & Organisations – preparing for how skills, roles and industries are evolving in an AI-driven world
Participants learn directly from leading African AI practitioners, engaging with real tools, real use cases and real process flows rather than abstract theory. The focus extends beyond productivity alone to future-proofing careers, businesses and institutions at a time of accelerated technological change.
Alex Pryor, an author, seasoned tech professional and Managing Director of Future School AI says, “The AI Masterclass Summit is grounded in an African context, placing developing economies at the centre of the conversation. Sessions explore how AI can drive productivity, inclusion, innovation and long-term economic growth across the continent, while industry panels bring together leaders working at the intersection of technology, education, business strategy and policy.”
One of the keynote speakers is Dennis Tapfuma, a Digital and AI Transformation leader with nearly two decades of experience helping global organisations deliver Digital Transformation programmes. Born in Zimbabwe and working in London, Dennis brings both global and continental perspectives to the Summit. He says, “In 2026, we can expect to see a shift from AI experimentation to operational reality. Tangible impact comes from well-built AI foundations and a strategic approach that enables you to deploy AI tools effectively in your work, and organisation.”
Beyond formal learning, the Summit is designed as an immersive and collaborative experience. Facilitated discussions and curated networking sessions bring together professionals, entrepreneurs, educators, creatives, business owners, investors and decision-makers, creating space for shared learning and cross-sector exchange. Each city edition includes moments focusing on wellness, African cultural energy and connection – reinforcing the Summit’s belief that AI is not just a technological shift, but a human one.
With capacity capped at 100 participants per city, the AI Masterclass Summit offers a rare opportunity to gain practical skills, strategic clarity and forward momentum at a time when AI is reshaping opportunity faster than most organisations can respond. Participants receive an “AI Ready” certificate of attendance as part of their professional development record.
Event details:
Johannesburg: Sandton Hotel, 12–13 March 2026
Cape Town: President Hotel, 20–21 March 2026
