Who should join?
Anyone with an interest in working with AI chatbots, a desire for more independence from big tech, and the curiosity to try out new software while it’s still in an alpha stage.
What to bring?
A laptop with Docker & Docker Compose installed.
About the workshop & software:
AI chatbots can do more than just vibe coding & slop creation. If properly used, they can be both an incredible learning tool and a super helpful assistant for everyday tasks. In this workshop, you learn how to set up and use the Self-Hosting Edition of OpenMates — a user-interest- and privacy-focused alternative to big tech AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Manus, Claude, and others — powered by various API-based (and, in the future, also offline) AI models.
Think of OpenMates as the next-generation operating system in the form of chatbots that can use various apps and external providers for a wide range of daily tasks — combined with a focus on educating & inspiring, making individualized learning accessible to everyone without compromising privacy.
OpenMates is, so far, a single-person project in its alpha stage and under very active development.
Git repo:
https://github.com/glowingkitty/OpenMates
Links:
https://pad.dev.openmates.org/p/OpenMates_Intro_Workshop_39c3
Website & Web App:
https://openmates.org