Course summary

Are you excited, curious or concerned about the impact AI might have on your work? Whether you're new to AI or have been experimenting for a while, this course will help you understand how the major tools work, what they are best suited to, and how to use them more effectively in your work and everyday life.

Throughout the day, you’ll build a stronger working knowledge of AI tools including ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and more. You’ll move beyond basic prompts and learn practical techniques, useful workflows and lesser-known features that can help you get better results from large language models and other AI tools.

AI tools can make your work easier, and when you understand how to use them well, you’ll be able to work and communicate faster, better and more effectively by:

• automating time-consuming tasks and processes
• overcoming writer's block and blank page paralysis
• saving hours of admin, brainstorming, research, sales, marketing and writing time
• creating high-quality business documents, presentations and content in minutes
• producing personalised messages to customers, colleagues and stakeholders.

This one-day course provides both a practical introduction to AI and a quick path to intermediate level knowledge and skills in GenAI tool use for business. We will focus on the three major LLMs - ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude - as well as Microsoft Copilot and several other tools to improve your business and marketing quality, speed and performance.

Aims

The aims of this course are to give you the knowledge and skills to use LLMs and other AI tools to achieve your business productivity, strategy and communication goals, and to help you become a better, faster, and more confident businessperson.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• understand the foundations of GenAI tools including ChatGPT
• describe the features, benefits and limitations of ChatGPT and Large Language Models
• use AI such as ChatGPT to create powerful and effective written communications
• use AI such as ChatGPT effectively for a range of business needs
• discuss various helpful and powerful GenAI tools.

Content

Introduction to AI tools

• What is Generative AI versus traditional AI?
• Benefits of using AI writing tools

Understanding Large Language Models

• How they work
• Limitations and risks of using AI
• How AI may help you in your work

Getting started with LLMs

• A tour of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity
• Which tools and features are best suited to your tasks and needs

Prompt like a Pro

• Prompt frameworks for better results
• Modifiers and modes
• Reducing hallucinations, bias and inaccuracies

AI for business productivity and internal communications

• Summarising emails, notes, documents and meetings
• Creating action lists, plans and briefings
• Improving internal updates, stakeholder messages and customer responses

Research, analysis and presentations

• Using AI to explore topics, compare options and synthesise information
• Research workflows using tools such as Perplexity and NotebookLM
• Turning information into reports, insights, recommendations and presentation outlines
• Analysing data, patterns and trends with appropriate caution

Using AI to create marketing copy and content

• Developing audience personas, messages and content ideas
• Creating guides, web pages, articles, emails and social content
• Matching brand and personal tone of voice
• AI copywriting and editing tips

Advanced techniques for using AI

• Practical ways teams and organisations are using AI
• 4 advanced prompting techniques

Other AI communications tools

• 4 powerful AI tools you may not know
• A simple checklist for using AI effectively, safely and humanly after the course

Who this course is for

This course is suitable for:

• business professionals, managers, team leaders and admin staff
• small business owners and consultants
• communications, marketing, content and customer service professionals
• anyone who wants to use AI to work faster, think more clearly and communicate more effectively in business.

Prerequisites

None

Delivery style

The course is practical and hands-on, with exercises and real-world examples to help you develop an understanding of AI tools and how they can be used in your work.

Delivery modes

• Face-to-face, presenter taught workshop using your own device
• Online workshop via the platform Zoom

Materials

Course materials are distributed electronically using Dropbox.

What you need to do before the course

To participate in this course, you will need access to at least one commonly available AI tool, such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, Claude or Perplexity. Free versions are suitable for the core activities.

Face-to-face classes

Please bring your own device to class.

Online classes

For the best experience, we recommend using a computer with a large monitor or dual screens/devices. Small laptop screens can make it difficult to follow the facilitator’s display while working in the apps.

Course Brochure