AI Guides On
Sign in

Start here · Beginner · 5 lessons, about 45 minutes in total

AI for beginners: start here

What AI chat tools like ChatGPT and Claude are, what they get wrong, and how to use one safely. You’ll make a free account, have your first conversation, learn to check what it tells you, and then finish by making something useful for your week.

Written by Jack Stovell · Published 3 October 2026 · Updated 3 October 2026

Course cover: a printed week of meals and a shopping list, with a hand sketching beside it and torn blue paper
Course cover. The meal plan is the real one from lesson 5; the household is made up.

What you build

A week of evening meals and one shopping list for your household, made with an AI chat tool, checked by you, and saved as a document you can print or keep on your phone. Our worked example is a made-up household of two adults and two children, one of them vegetarian.

Fictional example household

The household is made up. The plan and shopping list are exactly what Claude wrote for our prompt, pasted into a plain document.

Not for: People who already use AI chat every week. Try “Prompting for beginners” instead.

Our finished weekday meal plan: five vegetarian evening meals with meat options on the side, and one shopping list grouped by supermarket section.
The finished page from the course, printed as it came back from Claude.

Before you start

Time
5 lessons, about 45 minutes in total
Level
Beginner
Cost
Free.
Certificate
Certificate of completion, with its own verification link

Tools and what they cost

  • Claude (Free plan)An AI chat tool you can use for every lessonChecked 3 October 2026 · sourceFree
  • ChatGPT (Free plan)The other AI chat tool you can use for every lessonChecked 3 October 2026 · sourceFree

What you need

  • A computer, tablet or phone with a web browser
  • An email address, if you want a free account (you can try ChatGPT without one)
  • No technical knowledge
  • A notes app, word processor or email draft to save what you make in lesson 5 (one already on your device is fine)

Who it’s for

  • Anyone who has never used an AI chat tool
  • People who tried one once and didn’t know what to do with it
  • Anyone who wants to know what’s safe to type in before they start

The lessons

Module 1

Meet AI chat tools

Module badge: Signed up and safe

  1. Lesson 1: What AI chat tools are, and what they get wrongWhat happens when you type to ChatGPT or Claude, what they’re good at, how they get things wrong, and what never to type in.8 minReady to read
  2. Lesson 2: Make a free account and choose your privacy settingsPick ChatGPT or Claude, sign up for free, and find the setting that decides whether your chats are used to train the AI.8 minReady to read

Module 2

Use it well

Module badge: First real job done

  1. Lesson 3: Your first conversationAsk for something small and real, read the reply, ask for changes in the same chat, and check what it filled in by itself.10 minReady to read
  2. Lesson 4: Check what it tells youAsk a question with a checkable answer, compare it with the official source, and learn the warning signs of a made-up answer.9 minReady to read
  3. Lesson 5: Make something useful: a week of meals and a shopping listTell the AI about your household, get five meals and one shopping list, check it, ask for changes and save it to print.10 minReady to read

At the end

Finish all 5 lessons and you’ll get a certificate of completion, with its own verification link and an “Add certificate to LinkedIn profile” button.

Completion is self-reported: we do not check what you make. It is not an exam result, a qualification or an accreditation. How certificates work.

Questions about this course

Do I have to pay for anything?

No. ChatGPT and Claude both have free plans that cover every lesson.

Should I use ChatGPT or Claude?

Either. The lessons work the same in both. Our examples were made with Claude, so your replies won’t match ours, whichever you choose.

Can I do this course on my phone?

Yes. Both tools work in a phone’s web browser, and the lessons are short. Lesson 5 is easier if you can print, but you can just keep the plan on your phone instead.

Is it safe to type personal things into an AI chat?

Treat it like something other people may read. Don’t type bank or card details, health records, passwords or confidential documents. Lesson 1 explains why, and lesson 2 shows you the privacy settings.

Will the AI give me the same answers as yours?

No. AI tools give a different answer each time, so what should match is the shape: a plan, a list, and the things to check.

Sources, checked 3 October 2026