From chatbot to agent harness: how my AI workspace evolved
From GPT-3.5 through GitHub Copilot, Cursor, and Claude Code to Codex: what I learned about putting AI agents to productive use.
August 17, 202614 minBy Nicolas Hoch
Read articleReliable AI systems for real business processes
AI agents for your business processes — with measurable value and dependable operations.
Assess your use case
View references30 minutes · free of charge
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Where AI agents save time in day-to-day operations
AI agents take work off your team's plate wherever information is scattered, decisions need preparing, or routines repeat daily. Turning that into reliable value means thinking about data, permissions, integration, and quality from day one.
More focus
Recurring tasks are automated wherever they consume time and attention every day.
Works with your existing systems
AI agents operate within Microsoft 365, Teams, and SharePoint — without unnecessary new applications.
Proven value
Quality, time savings, and reliability are assessed against defined criteria.
How we work with you
From initial idea to a reliable AI system
A structured path from assessing the use case to a validated first solution.
01
AI use-case assessment
30 minutes · Free
In the AI potential assessment, we discuss your operational challenges and determine whether AI is the right lever for the specific use case.
- Honest expert assessment
- No obligation
- Immediate clarity
02
AI briefing
2–4 sessions
In regular briefings we bring structure to AI: what is sensible, what is realistic, and which use case offers the greatest economic leverage?
- Sound estimate of AI potential
- Clearly defined pilot use case
- ROI outlook & fixed-price proposal
03
30-day validation
Focused sprint · From €4,990
We build and test an initial solution for the prioritised use case. Within 30 days, value, quality, and technical prerequisites are validated against defined criteria.
- Validated first solution
- Measurable value against defined success criteria
- Documented requirements for production deployment
AI training & workshops
Separate service · In-house or association format
Practical formats for specialists and leaders, with direct relevance to Microsoft 365 and hands-on exercises from day-to-day work.
- For specialists and leaders
- Direct Microsoft 365 relevance
- Prompt and workflow templates included
Case studies
AI agents that work alongside you—not just talk
AI agents work next to your team: they fit into existing business processes and improve the basis for decisions.
Essenz – Outlook email assistant
Problem
Email steals focus and time from leaders every day.
Solution
"Essenz" automatically builds a compact morning briefing, prioritises what matters, and suggests clear next steps.
45–60 min saved per day
less inbox, more decisions
Teams expert chat for field service
Problem
Knowledge lives in heads and files—your team lacks fast access on the go.
Solution
A Teams bot answers from your SharePoint knowledge base (RAG) right in the workflow.
No additional logins
Answers directly in Microsoft Teams
AI training for tax advisory teams
Problem
Teams want to use AI but lack practical guidance for real advisory workflows.
Solution
Interactive workshops with prompt templates, live demos, and immediately applicable workflows.
Immediately applicable AI workflows
for day-to-day advisory work
Client voices
What our clients say
"Thanks for the great seminar contribution—huge value for participants 👍"
— Chamber of Tax Consultants Stuttgart
"AI training for the team with Nicolas Hoch today—thanks Nicolas for showing what's possible. The generated song could be a hit 😂"
— Hecht + Friedemann tax advisory
"The Essenz Outlook assistant takes annoying recurring tasks off my plate, like sorting mail and scheduling meetings. It helps me spend more time on what matters."
— KWT Anlagenbau GmbH
About us
Hoch-AI
Hoch-AI helps mid-sized companies make artificial intelligence understandable and usable.
We guide companies into AI, train teams, evaluate use cases, and develop concrete applications based on language models, Microsoft 365, Azure, Teams, and SharePoint.
Hoch-AI was founded by Nicolas Hoch. His experience in technical implementation, AI projects, and SME practice shapes our approach: no buzzwords, no showcases—just pragmatic AI solutions with real value.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long does an AI pilot project take?
A typical 30-day sprint results in a validated initial solution. The path to ongoing production use then depends on data quality, system integration, security requirements, and internal approvals.
How are data protection and information security addressed?
Requirements for data flows, access, hosting, and internal approvals are assessed for the specific use case. The technical implementation follows the agreed requirements and the existing system landscape.
What does an AI pilot project cost?
Pilot projects at Hoch-AI start at €4,990 as a fixed price, including a clear goal definition and integration plan.
Which systems does Hoch-AI integrate?
Hoch-AI primarily integrates Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, and Outlook into existing processes.
Ready to turn your AI idea into a reliable system?
Let's assess the right next step for your use case.
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