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| 1 | +AI can simplify everyday tasks and enhance productivity. This unit introduces the basics of AI, including how generative AI creates new content, and how tools like Microsoft Copilot can enhance productivity. You also explore the importance of using AI responsibly to ensure fairness, transparency, and trust. |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +## What is AI, and how does it work? |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +Generative AI focuses on creating new, unique content, based on the input you provide. This input is called **prompting**, which just means asking AI for specific things. Generative AI can even produce creative content, such as writing poems, composing melodies, or designing graphics, based on the patterns and styles it learned from existing data. |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +People usually interact with generative AI built into a chat application. One example of such an application is [Microsoft Copilot](https://copilot.microsoft.com?azure-portal=true), an AI-powered productivity tool designed to enhance your work experience by providing real-time intelligence and assistance. In other words, it's a smart tool that helps you work better by giving you quick answers and help when you need it. |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +> [!NOTE] |
| 10 | +> **Behind the scenes** |
| 11 | +> |
| 12 | +> Generative AI uses **large language models (LLMs)**, which are AI systems trained on massive amounts of text, to understand and generate human-like language. They are like a very intelligent autocomplete. LLMs are a type of AI model that uses **natural language processing (NLP)** techniques to work. |
| 13 | +> |
| 14 | +> NLP is a broader technology that helps computers understand and use human language to make things like chatbots, voice assistants, and translations work smoothly. LLMs are one powerful example of NLP in action. |
| 15 | +
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| 16 | +## Help with everyday tasks |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +Copilot is a smart assistant that can simplify your daily routines by helping you with various tasks and make your life a bit easier and more organized. Whether you're looking to get creative, plan your day, or need some personal assistance, AI can make your life more manageable. Let's look at some everyday examples of how you might use AI. |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +### Write creative content |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | + |
| 24 | +Struggling to start a project or come up with new ideas? Whether you're drafting an email, writing a blog post, or brainstorming for a podcast, AI can give you a starting point. It offers suggestions, generates text, and can even create entire pieces of content. For example, Copilot can help you: |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | +- **Compose emails**. Quickly draft professional or personal emails by inputting the main message and letting AI create a draft. |
| 27 | +- **Generate blog posts**. Create engaging blog posts by providing a topic and key points, and AI generates a well-structured article. |
| 28 | +- **Brainstorm ideas**. Get creative ideas for your next project, whether it's a slogan, a story, or a social media post. |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +By using AI for creative writing and content creation, you can enhance your productivity and ensure that your materials are engaging and effective. |
| 31 | + |
| 32 | +### Organize and plan |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +AI can help you stay organized and plan your activities by providing personalized recommendations and streamlining your planning process. For example, Copilot can help you: |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +- **Plan a trip**. AI can help you organize your travel itinerary, suggest destinations, flights, and accommodations, and even recommend activities based on your preferences. |
| 39 | +- **Manage and organize your calendar**. AI can help you schedule appointments, set reminders, and organize your daily tasks to ensure you stay on track. |
| 40 | +- **Plan an event**. Whether you're organizing a business conference or a family gathering, AI can help you plan the event by suggesting venues, creating schedules, and managing guest lists. It can also provide reminders and updates to keep everything on track. |
| 41 | +- **Manage tasks**. AI can help you manage your to-do list by prioritizing tasks, setting deadlines, and providing reminders. It can also suggest ways to break down larger projects into manageable steps. |
| 42 | + |
| 43 | +By using AI for organizing and planning, you can save time, reduce stress, and ensure that everything runs smoothly. |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +### Get personal assistance |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | + |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | +Copilot can act as your personal assistant and help you manage your life. Whether you need reminders, information, or assistance with tasks, AI is there to support you. For example, Copilot can help you: |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | +- **Answer questions**. Get quick answers to your questions, whether it's finding information online, checking the weather, or getting directions. |
| 52 | +- **Provide recommendations**. Receive personalized recommendations for movies, books, restaurants, and more based on your preferences and past choices. |
| 53 | +- **Automate tasks**. Automate routine tasks such as setting up meetings, sending follow-up emails, or managing your to-do list. |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | +With AI as your personal assistant, you can streamline your daily activities, stay organized, and focus on what matters most to you. |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +## Responsible AI |
| 58 | + |
| 59 | +AI should treat everyone fairly, protect privacy, and operate transparently. This helps build trust and ensures that AI systems are used in ways that respect individuals' rights and interests. In this short video, learn about some of the challenges and solutions related to AI accuracy. |
| 60 | + |
| 61 | +> [!VIDEO https://learn-video.azurefd.net/vod/player?id=34716751-793a-45ca-a3dd-60d9cd479648] |
| 62 | +
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| 63 | +As AI becomes more integrated into our daily lives, it's important to use it responsibly. Here are some ways you can help keep your AI-generated content fair, trustworthy, and beneficial to society: |
| 64 | + |
| 65 | +- **Provide clear and specific prompts**. Avoid sensitive topics and always review and validate outputs for accuracy and relevance. |
| 66 | +- **Watch for common biases**: |
| 67 | + - **Gender bias**. AI systems can perpetuate gender stereotypes if trained on biased data. For example, a hiring algorithm might favor male candidates over female candidates due to historical data biases. |
| 68 | + - **Racial bias**. AI systems can exhibit racial bias, leading to discriminatory outcomes. For instance, facial recognition systems might have higher error rates for people of color compared to white individuals. |
| 69 | + - **Socioeconomic bias**. AI systems can favor individuals from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. A credit scoring algorithm, for example, might disproportionately favor applicants from wealthier neighborhoods. |
| 70 | + |
| 71 | +Now that you have an idea of what generative AI is, how it can enhance our productivity and creativity, and the ethical considerations of using it, let's explore how to interact with AI through prompting. |
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