AI & ChatGPT for Beginners

Overview:

This session is for people who want to understand AI properly before they pick a tool, not after. We start with the language: what AI, machine learning, generative AI, and large language models actually are, and how they relate to each other, in plain English with no maths. We then look at the landscape: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and the open-source models, and what makes each one different in terms of strengths, integrations, and where the data goes. We try ChatGPT live, but we also show side-by-side comparisons so you understand why a colleague might prefer a different tool. We discuss what these models are actually doing under the hood, in a way that explains both their power and their well-known weaknesses (hallucinations, confident wrong answers, drifting off-topic on long tasks). We close with the part most introductions skip: what AI means for your job, where it genuinely helps, where it does not, and what skills become more valuable rather than less. You leave with a working mental model of the field and the confidence to choose tools for yourself instead of being chosen for.

Why you should Attend:

ChatGPT is the name everyone knows, but it is not the only AI in the room. Claude, Gemini, Copilot, and a dozen others are quietly being rolled out across organisations, and most people cannot tell you the difference between any of them. They also cannot tell you the difference between AI, machine learning, generative AI, or an LLM, because nobody has ever explained it without sliding into a lecture. The result is a workforce making confident-sounding decisions about tools they do not really understand, and a quiet anxiety about whether their job is on the list. This session takes a step back. We explain what AI actually is, in plain language. We show where ChatGPT fits in a much bigger picture. We walk through the practical differences between the major AI tools you are likely to be handed at work. And we replace the anxiety with something more useful: a clear-eyed view of what these tools do well, what they do badly, and what that means for the work you actually do.

Areas Covered in the Session:

• AI, machine learning, generative AI, and LLMs explained without jargon
• What an AI model is actually doing when it answers you
• The major AI tools today: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, and the open-source field
• Side-by-side: how the same prompt produces different answers across tools
• Where the data goes, and why that matters at work
• Why AI hallucinates, and how to spot it
• What AI does genuinely well, and what it still does badly
• AI agents and the shift from chat to action
• What this means for your job, your team, and your skills
• How to keep up without burning out on hype

Who Will Benefit:

• Curious Beginners - wanting the bigger picture before picking a tool
• Professionals Across Functions - navigating AI rollouts at work
• Managers & Decision Makers - responsible for AI choices without an AI background
• Career-Conscious Workers - thinking honestly about the future of their role
• Educators & Trainers - preparing to explain AI to others