General Purpose is the UK’s leading AI-first Training provider for businesses
We have delivered training on the key AI skills to thousands of people across hundreds of organisations big and small since May 2023.
We believe that AI should augment human potential and empower every professional to enjoy a more fulfilling life.
Our name speaks to the versatility and adaptability of Artificial Intelligence systems: arguably the first technology since electricity that can be adapted and applied to every aspect of human life to make it better. In everything we do, we work to help you and your team do anything with AI.
The Team:
Tom Hewitson
Co-founder & Chief AI Officer
Tom is a Webby-award-winning Conversation Designer and Prompt Engineer. He previously founded the world-renowned Conversational AI studio labworks.io and is one of the most prolific publishers of Alexa skills in the world. Prior to working in startups he worked at Meta, the Government Digital Service and Lonely Planet.
Barry T. Whyte
Co-founder & CEO
Barry is a digital innovation expert and the former Chief Operating Officer of Decoded - one of the UK’s leading software developer training schools. He has helped a vast range of businesses to achieve their ambitions for growth and transformation through his previous work at Bain & Company, Ogilvy & Mather and the Financial Times. Barry holds an MBA from Columbia University.
Ed Daniels
Instructor
Ed Daniels is was the UK’s first AI developer to go viral with his university project for detecting plagiarism in student essays that earned him plenty of hate mail from his peers! He has been deeply involved in working with AI and creating AI art through his Film and Innovation degree from the University of Bristol. Ed is a big proponent of open-source as a way of democratising AI.
Simone Carasco
Head of Client Success
Simone is a confidence & communications coach with over 15 years of experience in leadership, training and development. Her extensive knowledge on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion inform our approach on teaching the ethics and risks of AI. As well as being a writer, singer, former director and actor, Simone is also the mastermind behind Jay Genius; a racially diverse children's animation series currently in development.
Kirstie Kavanagh
Instructor
Kirstie has 10+ years experience as a digital marketer and technical trainer. Kirstie’s approach is grounded in the practical application of AI and data-driven insights, which she infuses into her work with clients and as a celebrated trainer for Google Digital Garage, BT Skills for Tomorrow, and Department for Education programmes. Outside the digital world, you'll find her enjoying country tunes and fuelled by a perpetual love for coffee.
Louis Whittal
Instructor
Louis is a full-stack UX designer who’s been leading the charge in using Generative AI tools to cover more of the design and development process. He’s also a fluent French speaker and is interested in the impact of AI on the future of education.
Minisha Goel
Instructor
Minisha specialises in Generative AI consulting for organisations. She focusses on helping companies develop their AI strategy and implementing Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. When she's not conversing with ChatGPT, she's likely lifting weights in the gym or enjoying the west side of London!
Jonas Haefele
Instructor
Jonas is a coach, facilitator and AI researcher. He has years of experience in corporate training, teaching Fortune 500 companies about technology and innovation to up-level their workforce and accelerate transformation. He's passionate about creating caring environments and helping people navigate the incredible change technology and AI are bringing.
London HQ:
WeWork
10 York Road
London
SE1 7ND
(Waterloo tube, South Bank exit)
Please use this address for all correspondence. Most workshops take place at this address but please check your confirmation email or our booking page for exact details.
Join the Team:
Workshop Instructor
Are you an AI expert who understands business and keen to share your knowledge? We’re looking to expand our team of instructors to lead our AI Essentials workshops.
You'll be helping professionals from diverse fields to integrate AI tools into their daily workflows, optimizing task efficiency. Your expertise will demystify AI, imparting key concepts, practical tool usage, and ethical considerations.
This role offers a flexible schedule (1 to 2 days per month) and the ability to impact businesses directly through AI education.
Marketing & Content Lead
Are you a creative, entrepreneurial marketer who can write? This freelance role focuses on increasing engagement and driving workshop attendance. You'll create compelling content that highlights the transformative impact of AI tools like ChatGPT in business.
You’ll be responsible for producing case studies, writing linkedin content, coordinating video shoots, managing our content calendar and leading our weekly email newsletter.
This 2 day/week role is based in our London office.