You do not need to understand how a car engine works to drive. The same is true of AI. In this lesson you will learn what it is, what it is good at, and what it is not good at, then try it yourself.
What "AI" means here
When people say AI today, they usually mean a chatbot such as ChatGPT. You type a message, in ordinary words, and it writes a reply. That is all. There is no special code to learn and nothing you can break.
Behind the scenes, the chatbot has read an enormous amount of text and learned how language fits together. So it is very good at writing, rewording, summarising and explaining. Think of it as a very quick, very well-read helper who never gets tired of your questions.
What it is good at
- Writing first drafts: emails, letters, birthday messages, a complaint to your energy company.
- Rewording: making your own words shorter, politer or clearer.
- Explaining: "Explain a mortgage like I am twelve."
- Ideas and lists: what to cook with chicken and rice, gift ideas for a keen gardener.
- Planning: a three-day trip, a weekly shopping list, a tidy-up schedule.
What it is not good at
This part matters more than the list above, so read it slowly.
- It can be wrong, and sound sure. It sometimes makes things up, such as opening hours, prices, or the name of a book. Always check anything important.
- It is not a doctor, lawyer or accountant. It can help you prepare questions, but it should not make decisions about your health or money for you.
- It does not know you. It only knows what you tell it in the chat. So tell it what matters: who the message is for, and what tone you want.
- It is not private like a diary. Never type passwords, bank details or full card numbers into a chatbot.
Three ideas to keep in mind
1. You are the boss. The chatbot offers a draft. You decide what stays, what changes, and whether to use it at all.
2. Chat, do not search. You are not typing keywords like in a search engine. Write as if you are speaking to a helpful person: "I need to write a thank-you note to my neighbour for watering my plants."
3. It is fine to ask again. If the answer is not right, say so: "Make it shorter," or "Friendlier, please." The chatbot does not mind. You will not hurt its feelings, and you cannot use up its patience.
A quick word on cost and safety
Free versions of the popular chatbots exist and are enough for everything in this course. If a website or a phone call ever asks you to pay to "unlock" a chatbot, or asks for your bank details to use it, stop. That is a warning sign. We cover this in the safety lesson.
Try it now
You will need about five minutes and a free chatbot. If you have not set one up yet, read our free guide "Your first ChatGPT chat" first, or simply watch for now and try again later.
- Open the chatbot and click in the box at the bottom.
- Type: "Explain what you can and cannot do, in five short sentences, as if I have never used a computer chatbot."
- Press Enter or tap the send arrow.
- Read the answer. Now type a follow-up: "Make that even simpler."
- Last step: type "Write me a two-line thank-you message for a friend who gave me flowers." Change one word to make it sound like you.
That is a complete conversation. You have just asked, adjusted and edited, which is 90 per cent of using AI well.
What to remember
- AI chatbots write and explain. They are drafts, not facts.
- Talk to it like a person, and ask again when it is not right.
- Check anything important, and never share passwords or bank details.
In the next lesson you will set things up and learn the one habit that makes answers much better: telling it who you are and what you need.