**This class will be taught In-Person**
For many computer users AI chatbots (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc.) have replaced the traditional search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo and others) as the preferred methods way for making online queries. Their natural language interfaces (text or voice) and conversational styles makes them very appealing and fun to use. To take full advantage of this powerful AI technology, a course on how to use AI chatbots can be very useful for maximizing their potential for learning, productivity, and creativity. By understanding their capabilities, limitations, and best practices, users can craft more effective prompts, critically evaluate responses, and integrate AI assistance seamlessly into their workflows. Such a course can help individuals—from students to professionals—enhance their research, automate routine tasks, and generate high-quality content while maintaining ethical considerations. Learning how to interact with AI chatbots efficiently ensures that users harness AI as a valuable assistant rather than relying on it uncritically, fostering both digital literacy and responsible AI usage. This course will cover the fundamentals of AI chatbots and the crafting of query prompts and other mechanisms for interfacing with it. Extensive use of examples will be used, and surprises can certainly be expected.
Topics (by session):
Session 1:
- What exactly is a chatbot, an AI chatbot and the popular examples that are available for public use (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.)
- Understanding the role of AI chatbots in the general field of Artificial Intelligence
- How to access AI chatbots via computer and mobile devices
- How to get started with AI chatbots – how do the free and paid versions differ
- How do the various AI chatbots differ, what they have in common, and choosing the best one for you or for a specific task
- How to compose prompts and queries in order to get the best results
- Templates for some useful prompts
- AI chatbots and trust
- When not to use AI chatbots
- How AI chatbots are integrated with other tools (e.g., Gemini and Google Search)
Session 2:
- Tips for verifying AI chatbot results by recognizing misinformation and “hallucinations”
- Building more satisfactory results via stepwise interaction
- Case studies and hands-on exercises for good AI chatbot usage
- Use as an alternative method for online searching
- Assistance with writing composition (e.g., email, professional letters)
- Personal research (e.g., genealogy)
- Foreign language translation
- Summarizing articles and documents
- Lifestyle applications (e.g., meal planning)
- Creating and editing images and graphics (e.g., charts and posters)
- Education and training (e.g., learning languages)
- Programming (e.g., “vibe coding”)
- Future prospects for AI chatbots
- Tips on becoming the “AI chatbot guru” for your friends and family
