AI Launchpad: your journey into AI

“AI Launchpad” is a foundational course designed to demystify the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The course aims to build a solid understanding of what AI is, delves into real-world, practical applications and discusses its capabilities, potential and limitations. 

The course requires neither any previous knowledge of AI, nor any technical skills in computer science, mathematics or programming. It is ideal for anyone interested in learning more about AI, in a world increasingly shaped by AI developments. The primary goal is to equip participants with the conceptual knowledge and basic practical skills needed to engage with AI tools effectively and critically evaluate their outputs, fostering informed and responsible interaction with this transformative technology.

About this course

The course is delivered through 5 thematic modules. Each module combines theoretical input (lectures, readings, discussions) with a practical workshop session designed to reinforce concepts and build hands-on skills. 

Module 1: What is AI? A historical voyage and future glimpse

This module puts forward basic concepts, terminology and definitions around AI and offers a journey into the technology's history - starting from the Turing Test to the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) or breakthroughs in deep learning. Learners will also be introduced to core concepts like Machine Learning (ML) without the need for mathematical expertise. Finally, this module presents common myths about AI and offers an initial glimpse into future trends and projections. 

Module 2: The AI Toolkit: capabilities, applications and boundaries

In this module, participants explore core AI capabilities like Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision, GenerativeAI, or Pattern Vision. AI's limitations are also addressed, with the "Black box" problem presented in a simple and easy to understand way. Finally, in this module participants receive an introduction to data, explore how AI learns and dive into why biased data leading to biased outcomes. Basic concepts for assessing AI performance are also introduced. 

Module 3: Meet the AIs - Exploring today's landscape

In this module, participants get an overview of the most common and accessible AI tools today. They also dig deeper into the different examples of LLMs and chatbots (Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT). The module also introduces image generation tools and their basic concepts, specialised AI tools and translation services. 

Module 4: Talking to AI: the art of prompt engineering

This module focuses on a key skill for GenerativeAI interaction - prompt engineering. It takes learners through the core principles of effective prompting and demonstrates the impact of small changes or tasks like text rephrasing or idea generation. This module also covers the iterative process of refining prompts based on AI responses. 

Module 5: AI Futures: Ethics, impact and your place 

This last module takes a glance to the future, delving into the critical dimensions of AI. It takes students through potential future AI developments, such as increased automation, before diving into ethical considerations related to AI's increased development and uptake. The module concludes by providing a curated list of reliable resources for further learning, focusing on accessible materials like reputable news outlets covering AI, introductory online courses, key organisations, and influential thinkers.

Learning objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will possess the knowledge and skills to:

• Explain what AI is and trace its historical development and key milestones.
• Describe the fundamental concepts and main categories of AI and provide a range of examples of AI applications in different sectors.
• Discuss the current limitations and challenges of AI, including bias and ethical concerns.
• List and differentiate between AI tools and platforms and understand basic metrics related to AI performance.
• Demonstrate basic know-how of effective prompting by crafting and refining basic prompts for common tasks.
• Debate AI's potential future development avenues and offer an overview of AI's societal impact. 

Further details 

Further details and more information about the AI Launchpad course can be found on the course page on EURIDICE's website.