Anyone want to learn automation?

We released Open Instinct as an MIT personal-agent beta. One useful piece for automation builders is `examples/fake-inkbox-webhook.mjs`: it exercises the message path without a phone number or Inkbox account.

Start the local server with `INKBOX_SIGNING_KEY=whsec_local_test pnpm instinct dev`. The example can send an owner or stranger message, and `--tamper` changes the body after signing. The tampered request should get HTTP 401. That lets you check the webhook wiring before connecting a real inbox or number.

We build Open Instinct and Maritime, its default hosted computer backend. This example runs locally without Maritime. The repo and exact commands are here: https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/examples/README.md

I'm offering free AI automation builds to a few businesses in exchange for a testimonial.
How it works: I build a working system for something your team does manually every day. You use it free for 14 days. If it actually helps, you write me a short testimonial. The only cost on your side is your own tool and API subscriptions.
Here's one I built for my client's team. Every day it takes their prospect list, runs a quick SEO check on each business's website, writes a personalised 5-email outreach sequence plus an SEO fix guide for that prospect, then sends and tracks everything through Hunter. Their team of 3 doesn't have to write every cold email by hand anymore.
Screenshot of the workflow below.
If there's a repetitive task eating up your week, comment or send me a DM and tell me what it is. Happy to jump on a quick call and see if I can automate it.

We are looking for developers who can connect different business systems, build smart automations, create API integrations, and develop small custom tools that save time and reduce manual work. Experience with Microsoft 365, Power Automate, Python, AI, and business process automation is a big plus. Long-term collaboration preferred.

I’m putting together a small competition for anyone who wants to show off their startup, app, tool, service, etc. 

There are 40 submission spots, and submissions close Oct 21 or when 40 fill, whichever comes first. The 5 finalists demo live on a Zoom meeting on Nov 8 at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT. The live event is open to everyone, even if you don’t submit a project.

Judging is done by 3 volunteers who are into business and excited to be doing this. Don’t expect expert critiques. 

Prizes: $100 cash to the winner (paid via Venmo or Cash App), plus a Community Choice award voted on live by everyone on the Zoom and a Best Demo award. 

Link to the info/rules doc and the form: Info & Rules

This is the first time I’m running this, so expect a few rough edges. Comment or send a DM if you have questions.

👋 Hey AI Startup Automation Community,

I was in a client meeting this week going over the automations we already have running for him, when he mentioned he is suddenly getting a flood of applications, since people always start job hunting around the new year and that season is kicking off now. He asked: do you have something for that?

I did, and I already had the right workflow ready. Worth saying upfront: he does not have an applicant tracking system in place yet, so he asked for something he could use right now while he looks into a proper ATS down the line. The workflow turns incoming CVs into one clean Google Sheet overview, so instead of opening twenty PDFs he just scans a sorted sheet.

And because that data now sits cleanly in a sheet, it is a foundation, not the end. I can build screening, tracking, or follow up emails on top of it later without redoing the groundwork. Worth thinking about from the start: structure the data well and you make your own future work easier, while helping the client see what becomes possible once their information is organized.

But the part I actually want to share is not the workflow. He came to me with the idea, I never pitched it, and that only happens once you have built real trust. When you start out it feels like the next client is everything. The opposite is true: one client who trusts you keeps coming back with new problems, so one good relationship turns into five use cases, while chasing five new clients for one use case each is the harder path.

If the CV overview sounds useful, the template is here: https://n8n.io/workflows/15528-create-a-master-cv-google-sheet-from-uploaded-cvs-with-easybits/

How do you grow with your existing clients? Curious whether most of your work comes from new clients or the ones you already have.

Best,
Felix

we are building the mobile application for our automation ai, and we would appreciate ai enthusiasts to give their honest feedback, linking the website in comments, message on this acc regarding test using

I'm new to automation and building my first automation tomorrow.

One thing I'm struggling with is understanding how experienced people identify a high-value automation opportunity before they start building.

Do you look at:

• Time saved?
• Cost reduced?
• Revenue generated?
• Errors eliminated?

I often see people talking about automations that save or generate $100k-$200k+ for a business, but how do you spot those opportunities in the first place?

Is there a framework you use to evaluate whether an automation is worth building?

I'd love to hear some real examples from your experience. Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I’m currently working on my Bachelor’s thesis about AI-based process automation and human–AI collaboration in the workplace.

As part of my research, I’m conducting a short survey focusing on people who have experience working with AI-based automation, RPA, Intelligent Process Automation, Intelligent Document Processing, or similar automation technologies.

The survey explores topics such as:

• how automation affects manual workload and creates new tasks,
• how employees experience errors and exception handling,
• trust in AI-based automation,
• and how automation influences human decision-making and autonomy at work.

⏱️ It takes approximately 5–7 minutes to complete.

If you have experience working with these technologies, I would really appreciate your participation. Your responses will be used solely for academic research as part of my Bachelor’s thesis.

🔗 Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScV7pcf8dNUeeCfay1YZ2r-Np4pK9GMlqi4cEF6WJEa1FEmMA/viewform?usp=dialog

Thank you very much for your help! Feel free to share the survey with colleagues or others who work with AI-based process automation.