Generative AI is moving fast — and most workplaces haven't caught up. Whether you've been curious about tools like ChatGPT, tried them a few times without much direction, or feel like everyone else already knows something you don't, this course gives you the space to explore, ask questions, and build real confidence. Over two sessions, you'll get a clear-headed introduction to what generative AI actually is, how to talk about it intelligently, and how to start using it in ways that are practical, safe, and genuinely useful — for your work and your daily life.
What You Will Learn
- Use key generative AI vocabulary—including terms like LLM, GPT, prompt, and hallucination—to understand and critically interpret news coverage and workplace conversations about AI
- Produce a meaningful, reliable output using a generative AI tool for a personal or professional task, understanding both its capabilities and its limitations
How You Will Learn
You will join live, online, instructor-led sessions that blend accessible explanation with hands-on practice:
- Expert-Led Workshops: Learn directly from a practitioner who will demystify AI tools and show you what they can — and can't — do in real work contexts.
- Hands-On Case Studies: Experiment with generative AI through structured exercises and small-group discussion grounded in practical scenarios.
- Personalized Feedback: Receive informal coaching and guidance tailored to your comfort level and specific use cases.
Who Should Take This Course?
This course is built for anyone who wants to understand generative AI without the hype or the jargon — no technical background required, including:
- Administrative professionals, coordinators, and support staff who want to explore how AI can reduce repetitive tasks and improve their output
- Managers and team leads who need to understand what AI tools their teams may already be using — and how to think about that responsibly
- Small business owners curious about practical applications but unsure where to start or what risks to consider
- Nonprofit and public sector workers who want to engage meaningfully in AI conversations happening in their organizations
- Career changers, returning workers, and anyone who simply feels left behind by the pace of AI adoption and wants to get oriented
If you've ever wondered whether AI is actually useful for your job — or just wanted to have a real conversation about it with others in the same boat — this course is for you.
Why Take This Course
- Over half of Canadian employees now use generative AI at work, with most reporting meaningful productivity gains — yet 83% say they need to upskill, and fewer than half feel their organization provides adequate support KPMG Canada
- The top barrier to AI adoption in Canadian businesses is difficulty finding employees with the skills to support it Fsc-ccf — and that gap starts with basic literacy, not advanced technical training
- 44% of Canadian employees worry their job could be affected if they fail to keep up with AI KPMG — getting oriented now reduces that risk significantly
- Using AI tools without understanding how they work leads to errors, wasted time, and real risks around privacy and data — this course helps you use them with judgment, not just enthusiasm
- Only 29% of Canadian employees say their employer has a comprehensive AI policy KPMG — which means most workers are navigating this on their own, and a foundational course like this fills a real gap
- AI fluency is rapidly becoming a baseline professional expectation — not a specialized skill, but a general one, like knowing how to use email or a spreadsheet
Instructor Bio
Marcelo Machado, PhD
Strategy & Innovation Consultant. Technology, entrepreneurship, research. Global Executive and Educator.