From Prompt to Prototype: Building with Custom GPTs and AI Agents

Turn ideas into working AI tools in this interactive, intermediate-level workshop. Learn the key differences between Custom GPTs and AI Agents, then build, refine, and test your own prototypes in real time (no coding skills needed). You will leave with two functional tools you can refine and deploy after the session. You will leave with:

•       A better understanding of how Custom GPTs and AI Agents differ and work together
•       Hands-on experience creating functional prototypes you can use immediately
•       A Custom GPT tailored to a specific purpose you care about
•       An AI Agent that can perform multi-step automation or autonomous actions
•       Practical strategies to keep refining and deploying your prototypes beyond the workshop

Intermediate with prior experience using basic AI tools and prompt creation recommended. Bring a laptop to participate fully. 

Samantha Steidle serves as Director of the AI Sandbox and Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Strategy at Radford University’s Davis College of Business and Economics. In this role, she bridges the gap between cutting-edge technology and real-world application, helping business faculty, students, and leaders turn ideas into practical, hands-on solutions. Over the past two decades, Samantha has helped co-launch six entrepreneurial spaces, including incubators, accelerators, and coworking hubs such as CoLab and RAMP, and has supported states in driving smart investment through the U.S. Treasury’s $10B State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). She specializes in guiding participants from idea to functional prototype through applied innovation. Passionate about empowering others, Samantha equips students and faculty to responsibly leverage generative AI for problem-solving, productivity, and creative expression.