Your AI Amigo on the Rio
El Paso’s first publication dedicated to AI— Viva AI Paso brings smart tools, local stories, and innovation to your fingertips.
Published by MoveThePlan.com
Released on August 28, 2025
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From the Creator
El Paso’s first AI publication — Viva AI Paso brings smart tools, local stories, and innovation to your fingertips.
Welcome to the very first edition of Viva AI Paso: Your AI Amigo on the Rio. This isn’t your typical tech publication — it’s a guide created with purpose. As a proud El Pasoan who left and later returned, I’ve seen firsthand throughout my career how our city has historically fallen behind larger cities when it comes to adopting emerging technologies. But I also see a tremendous opportunity: if we embrace AI and use it wisely, we can turn it into an engine for economic development — raising wages, creating new jobs, and positioning El Paso as a competitive hub for innovation.
That is the purpose of this publication — to make sure there is a trusted source for AI in the Borderland. Inside, you’ll find tools, local stories, and practical steps you can put to use today. Because the truth is, it’s not just AI’s time — it’s El Paso’s time.
Enjoy the read, and be sure to send us your feedback on how we can make the next publication even better, amigos!
— Joseph Sapien Creator MoveThePlan.com
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The AI Essentials Every Business Needs
Marketing & Sales
If there's one thing every small business owner in El Paso knows, it's this: marketing eats time for breakfast. Writing social media posts, coming up with catchy ad copy, scheduling emails, designing flyers — it all adds up faster than a Whataburger drive-thru line at lunch. And most of the time, you're doing it between customers, after hours, or on the back of a napkin.
AI writing assistant that creates marketing copy, social posts, and emails in seconds
Generate headlines, captions, and full campaigns with simple prompts
Marketing automation with AI-powered content creation built in
That's where AI comes in. Tools like Jasper, Copy.ai, and HubSpot AI are like having a marketing intern who never sleeps and works for pennies on the dollar. Instead of staring at a blank screen, you type a simple prompt — and boom, you've got headlines, captions, or even a full email campaign ready to go. These tools don't just save you time; they give you back mental bandwidth so you can focus on running your business, not wrestling with writer's block.
Picture this: You own a taco shop on Alameda. It's Friday morning, you're running late, and you realize you haven't posted your weekend special yet. Normally, you'd spend 20 minutes thinking up something clever about your carne asada plate. With Jasper, you type:
"Write 5 Instagram captions for a taco shop's weekend carne asada special. Make them fun and family-friendly."
In less than a minute, you've got a list of polished captions, complete with emojis and hashtags. By the time your cafecito is cool enough to sip, your posts are scheduled and ready to roll. Customers are already liking, commenting, and tagging their friends.
That's the power of AI in marketing, it doesn't just write faster, it helps you show up more consistently for your customers. And in a world where visibility is everything, showing up every day is half the battle. And here's where it gets even better: AI agents can connect with platforms like Hootsuite to automate workflows end-to-end. That means you can line up your content once, and it'll publish automatically while you sleep, or while you're out catching a Chihuahuas baseball game.
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Local Flavor: El Paso Innovators
El Paso isn't waiting for the future — it's building it right now. Across industries, local entrepreneurs and organizations are proving that AI isn't just for Silicon Valley startups. It's for small businesses, educators, and innovators in the Borderplex who are ready to take bold steps forward.
Digital Empire
Digital Empire a local marketing firm known for helping businesses boost their online presence have leveled up by using platforms like elest.io and N8N to automate social media posting and analytics. What used to take hours of manual scheduling can now be done in minutes, with AI ensuring consistent posting and smart performance tracking. Thanks to AI, businesses can now show up online with the same power and consistency as big-city competitors and often con mas corazón.
SunCity EdTech
Region 19 ESC is building on the momentum of STTE's EdTech Summit, held at the Region 19 back in 2022, with their own SunCity EdTech Conference, a regional showcase highlighting how schools and educators are putting AI to work. The SunCity EdTech Conference is a collaboration between ESC19 and TCEA, designed to bridge the worlds of instruction, leadership, and IT. Teachers, administrators, and technology leaders can still sign up here.
The Biggest AI Hackathon is Back
This past April, STTE, UTEP CS and El Paso Labs demonstrated its readiness to lead the future of AI. More than 184 participants, including 40 teams, 6 high school teams, and an all-female finalist team, pushed the boundaries of creativity and AI. The next chapter arrives October 24–26, 2025, when students, entrepreneurs, and innovators will once again gather to code, create, and collaborate in a high-energy environment.
To register, click here.
LatinX EdTech Grows
The energy around EdTech in El Paso is only getting stronger. STTE’s LatinX EdTech Summit has grown into a national platform — now known as Avance Próximo. This evolution has transformed a local gathering into a stage where education leaders from across the country come together to explore the future of EdTech. Innovators, policymakers, and even cultural icons like Oscar De La Hoya are stepping in to inspire the next generation. Register.
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Local Flavor: El Paso Innovators
Small Business Turned Tech
And then there's Nebula Smart Home, an El Paso company proving that even the HVAC industry can get smarter with AI. Their smart thermostats do more than control temperature — they optimize comfort, reduce energy waste, and can even schedule home service calls with the push of a button. Controlled through a sleek app, homeowners can request repairs instantly while the system uses AI to handle scheduling, reporting, and predictive maintenance. To give Nebula Stats a strong digital presence, their e-commerce website was designed by MoveThePlan, helping the company reach more customers and expand its footprint.
"Including technology and AI in my construction business model is helping me expand my market. AI is helping us build smarter, serve faster, and think bigger about what's possible."
— Raul Ruiz, majority owner of Nebula Smart Home
For a city like El Paso, where keeping homes and businesses comfortable isn't optional, this innovation has the potential to save families money while redefining an entire industry.
Listen to Co-Founder Raul Ruiz share his vision for better maintenance services.
Nebula Smart Home on Instagram: "Stop letting maintenance drain your wallet. 💸 Most people wait until it’s too late… and then get hit with a $1,000+ repair bill by a contractor who’s just there for
5 likes, 0 comments - nebula_smart_home on August 27, 2025: "Stop letting maintenance drain your wallet. 💸 Most people wait until it’s too late… and then get hit with a $1,000+ repair bill by a contractor who’s just there for a payday. That’s backwards. Your home should come with affordable, proactive care—not overpriced emergencies. That’s why Nebula exists. ✅ Real-time monitoring ✅ Transparent pricing ✅ In-house team that actually cares We’re not here to cash in and disappear. We’re here
These stories remind us of something important: AI isn't an abstract future — it's happening here, now, in El Paso. Whether you're running a restaurant, a retail shop, a nonprofit, or a professional service, the tools are already here to help you work smarter. The question isn't whether El Paso can keep up with innovation — it's how fast the rest of the world can keep up with us.
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For Beginners: The Curious Taco Explorer
Maybe you've heard about AI at a networking mixer or seen a cousin show off ChatGPT at a family BBQ, but you're not sure where to start. Don't worry — the beginner tier is all about small wins that make your daily grind easier.
Your free sidekick for quick copy, research, or brainstorming. Think of it as your idea machine: blog intros, product names, email drafts — all done in seconds.
Your design buddy. Need a flyer for your weekend special? A logo for your side hustle? Or a slick Instagram post? Canva's drag-and-drop AI design tools mean you don't need to hire a graphic designer just to look professional.
👉 Starter Move:
Write your next Facebook post with Gemini, then drop it into Canva AI to make it shine. Boom. You've just created a mini campaign before your coffee gets cold.
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For Advanced: The Bold All You Can Eat
For the business owner who says, "I've tried the basics — what else can AI really do?" the advanced level is where things get exciting. Here, it's not about saving minutes; it's about building systems that run while you sleep (or while you're at a Chihuahuas game).
Custom Automations
Let you string tools together into full workflows. Example: A customer books an appointment → AI generates the invoice → confirmation email is sent → after the appointment, they get an automated follow-up asking for a review.
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Customer Books
Appointment is automatically added to your calendar
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AI Creates Invoice
Customized with your branding and services
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Confirmation Sent
Personalized email with all details
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Service Provided
Your business delivers excellent work
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Follow-up Review
Automated request for feedback
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🥑 Pro Tips and Tools
Don't try to adopt everything at once. Start with one tool under $20/month. Test it for 30 days. If it saves you time or makes you money, keep it. If not, cancel and move on.
Because at the end of the day, innovation should fit your budget — just like deciding if you really need that extra guac.
$20
Monthly Investment
Average cost of entry-level AI tools
5hrs
Weekly Time Saved
Typical time recovered with basic automation
30days
Trial Period
Recommended testing window before committing
Top 5 AI Tools for Small Biz
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1. Google Gemini
→ Free ✨ Your copywriting, research, and brainstorming sidekick.
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2. Canva AI
→ Free + Pro $12.99/month Instantly create pro-level graphics, logos, and social media visuals.
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3. Zapier
→ Free tier + Paid plans from $19.99/month Automate repetitive tasks by connecting your apps and workflows.
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4. Tidio Chatbot
→ Free tier + Paid plans from $29/month Capture leads and answer customer FAQs 24/7 on your website.
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5. Jasper
→ From $39/month Generate polished marketing copy for ads, emails, and posts in seconds.
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The Last Byte
From burrito-budget tools that cost less than lunch, to HVAC systems scheduling their own repairs, to classrooms where AI is already shaping the next generation — one truth stands out: El Paso isn't waiting for the future. We're building it now.
This playbook wasn't just about tools. It was about showing that strategy, innovation, and community come alive when you take one small step forward. Whether you start with Canva, Zapier, or a full AI agent, you're joining a movement of doers who are making business smarter on the Rio.
Because in the end, AI isn't just artificial intelligence — it's Borderplex intelligence. And this is just the beginning. We leave you with a vision of El Paso in 2050 — a city shaped by AI, innovation, and spirit.
MViva AI Paso is for educational and informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the content provided does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. Readers should evaluate tools and services independently before use. MoveThePlan is not liable for any direct or indirect outcomes resulting from the use of tools, services, or advice featured in this publication. All product names, logos, and trademarks are property of their respective owners.
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