Beginner: AI Fundamentals
Start here. We'll explain what AI actually is, meet the main tools, and get you typing your first prompts with confidence.
What is AI?
Welcome to the course
3 min · What you'll learn, how the course works, and how to get the most out of it.
What is AI, really?
8 min · The 90-second definition, plus why today's AI feels different to anything that came before.
ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude
10 min · The three tools that matter, what each is best at, and what to pick if you're only going to use one.
How LLMs actually work
10 min · Tokens, training, and the "it's just very good at guessing the next word" model, in plain English.
Why AI gets things wrong (hallucinations, explained)
7 min · What an AI "hallucination" actually is, why it happens, and how to spot one before it bites you.
A 5-step checklist for fact-checking AI output
6 min · A quick, repeatable routine for anything you're about to publish, send, or act on.
Your first prompts
The anatomy of a good prompt
8 min · Four ingredients that turn a vague ask into a useful answer, with before-and-after examples.
The 5 prompting mistakes almost everyone makes
7 min · Five common traps and the quick fix for each. You're probably doing at least two.
Writing prompts for admin
8 min · Copy-and-paste prompts for emails, meetings, and follow-ups. The stuff that eats your Wednesdays.
Asking AI a follow-up question
5 min · The most underused technique in AI. Turns an 80% answer into a 100% one with 10 extra seconds.
Saving and reusing the prompts that work
4 min · The cheapest productivity upgrade going. A 10-minute setup you'll use every week forever.
Practical wins
Using AI to research a topic
8 min · Turn a 2-hour Google rabbit hole into a 10-minute, sourced overview.
Using AI to brainstorm
7 min · The highest-value single use of AI for most people. Never stare at a blank page again.
Using AI to summarise a long document
7 min · Turn a 40-page PDF into a one-page brief in 90 seconds. One of AI's most underused tricks.
Using AI to write a first draft
8 min · The blank page is the enemy. AI first drafts get you to 70%, then you do the interesting 30%.
Choosing your tool
Voice, image, and file features compared
6 min · The headline "extras" beyond the chat box, and which tool does each one best.
AI in Gmail, Docs, and Office
6 min · The AI inside the tools you already use. Often the fastest win for small businesses.
The one tool to commit to while you're learning
5 min · Stop tool-hopping. Here's our single recommendation for your first 30 days.