ChatGPT is a powerful, general-purpose AI assistant that supports writing, analysis, planning, and problem-solving across professional contexts. This course goes beyond basic demonstrations to teach participants how to use ChatGPT reliably, responsibly, and effectively in real work scenarios.
Participants learn how ChatGPT interprets prompts, why responses vary, how to structure interactions for better results, and how to validate outputs. Emphasis is placed on human judgment, accountability, and avoiding overreliance while gaining meaningful productivity benefits.
After attending this course, students should be able to:
This course is designed for professionals who want to use ChatGPT effectively and responsibly to improve productivity, analysis, and decision-making across a wide range of tasks. This course is non-technical and does not require programming experience. It is ideal for professionals who need a flexible, general-purpose AI assistant that works across tasks, tools, and contexts beyond a single productivity platform.
Understanding ChatGPT
What ChatGPT is and is not
How ChatGPT differs from embedded AI tools
Strengths and appropriate use cases
Common misconceptions about ChatGPT capabilities
How ChatGPT Generates Responses
High-level overview of large language models
Tokens, probability, and pattern completion
Why responses can vary
Confidence vs correctness
ChatGPT Interaction Fundamentals
Prompting as collaboration, not commands
Asking effective follow-up questions
AIterative refinement for improved results
Using ChatGPT for Professional Writing
Drafting and editing contentAdapting tone, audience, and purpose
Improving clarity and structure
Maintaining ownership and accuracy
Using ChatGPT for Analysis and Thinking Support
Brainstorming and idea generation
Structuring problems and options
Scenario exploration and tradeoff analysis
Avoiding cognitive outsourcing
Research, Summarization, and Synthesis
Summarizing information responsibly
Combining and synthesizing inputs
Recognizing hallucinations and gaps
Validation, Risk, and Professional Responsibility
Identifying unreliable outputsFact-checking and verification strategies
When human review is mandatory
Privacy, Confidentiality, and Ethical Use
What not to share with ChatGPT
Organizational and client considerations
Transparency and disclosure
Best Practices for Long-Term Use
Prompt patterns that work
Common anti-patterns
Developing personal or team usage norms
Summary and Next Steps
Key takeaways
Applying ChatGPT responsibly in daily work
Preparing for more advanced AI workflows
Completion of AI Fundamentals for Professionals or equivalent knowledge, along with prior exposure to AI tools such as ChatGPT (no advanced experience required).
