Revenge Of The Non-Coder: Creator AI Bootcamp & Hackathon

Megan Lightcap

Context:
A few weeks ago, we got an email from one of our creators that really stuck with us. The message was clear: if you’re a creator entrepreneur, now is the time to get serious about AI. The ones who are already weaving AI into their businesses are unlocking leverage and scale at a pace we haven’t seen before. The landscape is shifting—fast. The people who own their communities and can build with these tools are going to be the winners in the next era.

The on-ramp to AI is still bumpy. The tooling is intimidating, and learning how to get started often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. That’s exactly why we’re hosting the Creator AI Bootcamp & Hackathon in San Francisco on April 2nd and 3rd. It’s two days, in-person, hands-on, and tailored for creator entrepreneurs who want to actually build using AI. You’ll learn from experts, get practical starter packs, and walk away with a working agent, bot, or app for your business. Plus, we’ll have TAs on site to make sure you never get stuck.

Market Signal:
The strongest signal we’re seeing? The non-coders are taking over. The old gatekeeping around technical skills is breaking down—fast. AI is the great equalizer, and the people who can own a community and wield these new tools (even if they can’t code from scratch) are getting a massive head start. The market is rewarding those who can quickly learn, experiment, and ship. If you’re not building with AI, you’re already behind.

Takeaways:

Yoni Rechtman

Context:
Last week, I tweeted something that apparently poked the beehive: I questioned the breathless reverence some folks have for their “special relationship” with Claude (or any AI agent), and, predictably, people got mad online. The crux of the outrage? I wasn’t deferential enough to the idea that AI agents are about to revolutionize every corner of our lives. So here’s why I’m right, and why this debate actually matters for anyone building or investing in the next wave of consumer AI.

Market Signal:
The market is currently awash in “agentic” hype. Every demo, every pitch, every product roadmap is suddenly about agents—AI that acts on your behalf. But the term is quickly becoming meaningless. If every app with a little automation or decision-making is now an “agent,” then the word has lost all signal. The market is confusing “AI is useful” (true, obviously) with “agents are the future of consumer” (much murkier). This is classic tech narrative inflation: we flatten everything into the Next Big Thing, and in the process, we lose the nuance about what’s actually possible, desirable, or valuable.

Team Slow

​Following the notable success of last year’s inaugural class (which was oversubscribed, drew attention from leading national press, and Amazon’s #1 Business Image and Etiquette book) Slow Ventures is pleased to bring Etiquette Finishing School to New York.

​What began as a modest skit at YC proved something more enduring: that in an age of technological acceleration, the advantage increasingly belongs to those who possess presence. While founders are trained to build pitch decks, hold user interviews, and focus on code, far fewer are instructed in the subtler arts — how to command a room, manage first impressions, and represent their enterprise with composure.

​If last year established the importance of such fluency, this year affirms its necessity. After all, if AGI takes over, all there is left is etiquette.

​Curriculum:

​Attendance will be deliberately limited. Applications will be reviewed strictly in the order received, and once the room is filled, it shall remain so.