What is AI?
AI refers to the ability of machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. This includes problem-solving, learning, and decision-making. AI systems rely on large amounts of data and advanced algorithms to process that data and produce results.
Types of AI
Narrow AI
AI that is designed for a specific task, like language translation or facial recognition.
General AI
This is the type of AI you see in science fiction—an AI that can perform any intellectual task a human can, though it doesn’t exist yet.
Some real life applications of AI
Healthcare
AI is helping doctors diagnose illnesses more accurately by analysing medical images.​
Marketing
Companies use AI to recommend products based on your browsing history or purchasing habits.
Customer Service
Chatbots are powered by AI to help customers with common questions quickly.
How does it work?
AI works by following algorithms—rules and procedures programmed into the system—to analyse data and make decisions or recommendations. It improves over time through a process called machine learning, where it learns from new data to refine its performance.
How to Use ChatGPT
The key to using ChatGPT effectively is writing clear and specific prompts. For example, instead of asking “Tell me about AI,” you could ask, “How is AI used in healthcare?” This will give you more focused and useful responses.
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Real-World Application: Let’s say you need to write an email. Ask ChatGPT: “Write a formal email requesting a meeting about a new project.” You can then refine the email based on ChatGPT’s suggestions.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a text-based AI tool that generates responses based on the questions or prompts you provide. It’s a powerful assistant for generating ideas, writing content, and answering questions on a wide range of topics.
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How to Set Up ChatGPT:
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Visit the ChatGPT website.
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Click Sign Up and create your account.
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Once logged in, start with something simple like asking, “What is AI?”
Mastering ChatGPT Prompts: The Basics
What is Prompting?
Prompting is the process of giving instructions to ChatGPT to generate responses that meet your needs. The clearer your prompt, the more relevant the response will be. ChatGPT works best when given specific, well-structured prompts.
How to Write Good Prompts:
Be Clear
If you’re vague, ChatGPT will give you vague answers. For example, instead of asking “Tell me about AI,” try “Explain three common uses of AI in healthcare.”
Provide Context
The more background you provide, the better ChatGPT can tailor its response. For instance, “Explain AI in marketing for small businesses” gives the AI more direction than just “Explain AI in marketing.”
Structure for Clarity
Break down complex questions. Instead of asking, “What’s the history of AI, how does it work, and what are its applications?”, split these into separate prompts for more in-depth responses.
Examples of Effective Prompts
Content Creation
“Write a 200-word introduction to a report on AI in customer service.”
Research Assistance
“Summarise the latest research on AI’s impact on financial markets.”
Idea Generation
“Give me five creative ideas for promoting an AI software product to small businesses.”
Controlling the Tone and Style
Tone:
You can specify the tone of the response. For example, “Explain AI in a conversational tone” vs. “Explain AI in a formal tone.”
Format:
Ask ChatGPT to deliver answers in a specific format, such as bullet points, paragraphs, or lists. Example: “Summarise the pros and cons of AI in healthcare in bullet points.”
Free vs Paid GPT
When choosing between the free and paid versions of ChatGPT, it depends on your needs. The free plan is great for everyday tasks like writing, answering questions, and generating ideas. It offers access to GPT-4, though in a limited capacity.
However, if you frequently work on more complex tasks or need faster responses, the paid plan (at $20/£15.39 per month) provides priority access, advanced features, and more extensive use of GPT-4. This option is ideal for professionals or heavy users requiring access to cutting-edge AI tools.
Free Plan
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Assistance with writing, problem solving and more
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Access to GPT-4o mini
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Limited access to GPT‑4o
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Limited access to data analysis, file uploads, vision, web browsing, and image generation
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Use custom GPTs
Paid Plan - $20/£15.39 per month
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Everything in Free
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Early access to new features
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Access to OpenAI o1-preview, OpenAI o1-mini
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Access to GPT-4o, GPT-4o mini, GPT-4
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Up to 5x more messages for GPT‑4o
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Access to data analysis, file uploads, vision, web browsing, and image generation
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Access to Advanced Voice Mode
Next , adjust the tone
Rephrase the meeting request email to be more casual: “Rewrite the email to sound less formal and more conversational.”
Refining your prompts to get better responses
In this module, we’ll dive into eight practical prompt types that will help you make the most of GPT. Each type serves a different purpose, from retrieving basic information to handling more complex, multi-step tasks. You’ll learn how to refine your prompts to get more specific, relevant, and actionable responses.
Practical Prompt 1: Basic Information Request
This is the simplest form of a prompt, where you ask ChatGPT for straightforward facts or an explanation.
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Example: “What is machine learning?”
Use this when you need quick, factual information or a general overview on a topic.
Try the following prompts in ChatGPT
Try these prompts to get hands-on experience with ChatGPT. Whether you're writing professional emails, summarising key points, or generating new ideas, these examples will help you understand how to get the best out of AI.
Start with the prompts, then build on them by adding more context for even more accurate results. Simply copy the prompts, paste them into ChatGPT, and see how easily AI can support your work."
“Write a formal email requesting a meeting to discuss a new project idea.”
“Summarise the benefits of using AI in small businesses in under 100 words.”
“Generate me 10 ideas for a Linkedin post”
"Generate me 10 subject lines for a cold email going to a prospective client"
Practical Prompt 2: Contextual Explanation
By adding context, you guide ChatGPT to generate a more focused response. The additional details ensure that the answer is specific to the situation you’re asking about.
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Example: “Explain how machine learning is used in fraud detection for banking.”
The context here (fraud detection in banking) helps ChatGPT narrow down the explanation.
Practical Prompt 3: Multi-Part Prompt
This type allows you to combine multiple questions or tasks in one prompt. It’s helpful when you want to cover several aspects of a topic in one go.
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Example: “First, explain how AI is used in healthcare. Then provide two real-world examples of companies using AI in patient diagnostics.”
This prompt asks ChatGPT to answer multiple requests in a structured way.
Practical Prompt 4: Conditional Scenario
With this prompt, you introduce an “if-then” condition. This helps generate responses based on specific scenarios.
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Example: “If a business uses AI for marketing, what improvements can they expect? If they don’t, what challenges might they face?”
Conditional prompts are great for exploring outcomes based on hypothetical situations.
Practical Prompt 5: Controlling Style and Tone
ChatGPT allows you to control how formal or informal the response is by specifying tone. This is especially useful for creating content suited to different audiences.
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Example: “Write an email about a project delay in a formal tone.”
Adjust the style to match the situation (formal, casual, persuasive, etc.).
Practical Prompt 6: Set Length and Format
You can control how long or short a response is, and even request it in a specific format (e.g., bullet points, paragraphs).
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Example: “Summarise the key benefits of AI in bullet points, and keep it under 100 words.”
This prompt ensures you receive the answer in the format and length you prefer.
Practical Prompt 7: Follow-Up Prompt
You can build on a previous response to refine the answer or dig deeper into the topic.
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Example: “Based on your previous response about AI in healthcare, explain its limitations in patient privacy.”
This allows you to get more detailed answers, building off earlier prompts.
End Of Course Quiz - Test Your Knowledge
Thank you for taking the time to complete this course. We hope it provided you with valuable insights into the capabilities of AI and practical techniques for using ChatGPT effectively. Our aim was to make these concepts accessible, engaging, and applicable to your needs.
Remember, AI is a powerful tool that, when used thoughtfully, can enhance productivity and creativity. We’re thrilled to have been part of your learning journey, and we hope you found it both informative and inspiring!
Practical Prompt 8: Example-Based Prompting
In this type of prompt, you give ChatGPT an example of the type of response you're looking for, and it will follow that structure or style. This is useful when you want consistent results or a specific format.
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Example: “Explain the benefits of renewable energy. Here’s an example: 'Renewable energy reduces carbon emissions, leading to cleaner air.'”
This ensures ChatGPT models its response after the example you provide.