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Learn AI without the jargon

Short lessons with everyday examples. Pick where to start.

Level 0 · Curious

I've never used it, or barely.

• What is AI, really?It isn't one thing: it's Russian dolls, one inside the other.
• How does ChatGPT "think"?It writes the most likely word, one after another.
• What you should never paste into an AI chatIf you wouldn't email it to a stranger, don't paste it.
• Hallucinations: when AI makes things upIt sounds confident even when it's wrong. Check what matters.
• The AI already in your pocketYou already use it every day: in your keyboard, your photos and your maps.

Level 1 · User

I use it, but I want better results.

• The formula for asking AIRole, context, task and format. Four pieces, better answers.
• Tokens: why AI "forgets"It reads in small pieces and can only keep so many in view.
• Chatting with your documents (RAG)An open-book exam: first it looks it up, then it answers.
• AI has biases tooIt learned from human text, our biases included.
• Summaries that keep what mattersAsk the AI for decisions, owners and dates, not just a pretty summary.

Level 2 · Power user

I want it to work for me: agents and connections.

• Agents: when AI acts, not just answersAn agent gets a goal, plans steps and uses tools.
• MCP: the USB-C of AIA standard to connect AI to your tools.
• Assistant memorySome assistants remember things about you across chats. You decide what.
• What does each answer cost?Each answer has a price. If you don't measure it, you find out on the bill.

Level 3 · Expert

Architecture, security, cost and governance.

• The architecture of an AI solutionThe chat is the tip of the iceberg. Underneath are six layers.
• Guardrails: the bridge's railingsRules that check what goes in and out of the model.
• Large, small, open and closed modelsYou don't take a truck to the corner store.
• AI governance: the board checkSix questions that separate a nice pilot from something ready to scale.