Tucson Business Magazine Covers Landmark AI Event in Scottsdale as Arizona Business Community Embraces AI

Tucson Business Magazine covers the inaugural AI AZ event in Scottsdale, where 80+ business owners gathered to learn how AI can transform their businesses.

SCOTTSDALE, AZ, UNITED STATES, May 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The inaugural AI AZ Claude & Cloning 101 Bootcamp Night drew over 80 business owners to Scottsdale — with national AI experts, including Omaha-based 316 Strategy Group, attending to support Arizona's growing AI community

On the evening of May 8, 2026, more than 80 Arizona business owners packed Tocaya Modern Mexican at Scottsdale Fashion Square for the inaugural event hosted by AI AZ — a fast-growing Facebook community already 500 members strong. The reservation-only event, titled Claude & Cloning 101 Bootcamp Night, was organized by world-renowned AI expert Julia McCoy of First Movers AI and Matt Leitz, founder of BotBuilders, whose client roster includes Robert Kiyosaki and Grant Cardone. Tucson Business Magazine was on the ground to cover the event, which signals a defining moment for how Arizona businesses are approaching artificial intelligence.

McCoy, widely regarded as one of the most gifted content strategists of her generation, has become a leading voice in AI integration and what she calls "clones" — AI-powered systems trained on a person's knowledge and voice that work, create, and engage audiences around the clock. Her own AI clone has accumulated over 2 million YouTube views, surpassed 250,000 subscribers, and generates more than $15,000 per month in ad revenue — all while McCoy focuses on her family and personal life. Her company, First Movers AI, is helping businesses globally build similar systems through a done-for-you model, in partnership with Leitz and his BotBuilders studio in the Phoenix metro area.

"AI doesn't replace people. It makes the right ones unstoppable," McCoy told the crowd, a message displayed prominently on screen during her presentation. She added: "We don't believe in autonomous, zero-human AI. AI that delights your audience is AI done right."

Among those who traveled specifically for the event was Joseph Kenney, founder of award-winning Omaha-based agency 316 Strategy Group and Bullseye AI, recognized nationally as a leader in AI Visibility. Kenney and his colleague made the trip from Nebraska, underscoring the national significance of the gathering. 316 Strategy Group specializes in helping businesses become discoverable and competitive in an AI-driven marketplace — a discipline Kenney calls AI Visibility — and works with clients across the country, including in the Omaha and Phoenix metro markets.

"Events like this are exactly what the business community needs right now," said Kenney. "AI is no longer a future conversation — it's happening in every industry, in every market, including Omaha. My mentor, the late Tony Hsieh of Zappos, always reminded me: if you want to go fast, go it alone. If you want to go far, go it together. That's what AI AZ is building — and it's exactly the kind of community that moves businesses forward."

The evening also featured Jake Bollig, founder of Hyflos and a NeuroPerformance Scientist, whose patent-pending brain-wave performance tools for elite athletes represent the kind of niche business AI AZ was built to serve.

Matt Leitz announced at the close of the evening that AI AZ intends to host one event every month going forward. The AI AZ Facebook community, already 500 members strong, is open to business owners across Arizona seeking connection, education, and support in navigating the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

ABOUT TUCSON BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Tucson Business Magazine is a leading regional publication covering business news, innovation, and entrepreneurship across Arizona. For more information, visit tucsonbusinessmagazine.com.

ABOUT AI AZ

AI AZ is a fast-growing Arizona-based business community dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and business owners understand and implement artificial intelligence. With over 500 members and monthly events planned, AI AZ connects local business owners with world-class AI experts and each other. Find AI AZ on Facebook by searching "AI AZ."

James Cocktail
Tucson Business Magazine
+1 402-616-8277
email us here
Visit us on social media:
Facebook

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.