Training that leaves your team able to do it themselves
Structured AI training programmes with clear learning outcomes, delivered through hands-on, interactive sessions - in person or online, anywhere in New Zealand. You don’t watch us do it; you learn to do it yourself.
Three structured programmes
Three ways to engage - same structured outcomes
Public workshops
Small, scheduled sessions anyone can book. Hands-on from the first hour, capped so everyone gets help.
See upcoming public datesLive online
The same curricula delivered over video for people and teams outside Christchurch - same exercises, same outcomes.
Ask about online datesPrivate in-house
Run privately for your team, tailored to your tools and workflows - on site anywhere in New Zealand or online.
See the team programmeTraining delivered across New Zealand
Who delivers the training
Blake Harkness
Lead Trainer & Founder, Harkness AIBlake is a Christchurch-based AI engineer who runs AI education across New Zealand - from small hands-on workshops to conference sessions of 300+ people. He founded Harkness AI to help Kiwi businesses build real AI capability, and has published over 300 educational AI videos.
His training style is practical and hands-on: plain-language foundations, live demonstrations, then building against each participant's real work until they can run it themselves.
- Mechatronics engineering background
- AI Forum New Zealand - AEC Working Group contributor
- Engineering New Zealand - AI Advisory Group member
- Young Kiwis in AI - Founder (meetups across 11+ cities)
- 300+ published AI educational videos, 1M+ views
Alexander Russel
Trainer & AI EngineerAlexander is a full-stack AI engineer who co-delivers team training and workshop sessions alongside Blake. He specialises in integrations and automated workflows, and brings the builder's view to the hands-on portions of each programme - helping participants connect AI to the systems their business actually runs on.
- AI Engineer, Harkness AI - production AI systems and integrations
- Co-facilitator, Harkness AI team training and youth workshop programmes
Feedback from the room
Recently completed a half day course with Blake building my Claude Brain. The course was insightful & practical. Running 2 companies I know this is going to help me claw back some time on a lot of the repetitive tasks. Thank you Blake, excellent value and advice.
Blake has become our go-to for everything AI in our business - from setting up Claude and training our team, to building integrations like our PayHero setup that we had struggled with ourselves. He is a genuine sounding board, hits his timelines, and hands over tools that work with clear instructions. We would happily recommend Blake and Harkness AI to any business looking to get real value out of AI.
Blake’s AI presentation was among the most frequently cited as the most valuable session of the conference - consistently described as practical, relevant and immediately useful for delegates’ businesses.
Ready to build capability in your business?
See the upcoming public dates, or register your interest and you’ll hear first when new sessions open - public or online.
Good to know
Last updated 8 July 2026