Understand AI

AI appears in everyday tasks. This journey uses prepared examples to help you practise and check results.

1. Task 1

   Check the invitation

   Start this mission
2. Task 2

   Tell it what you need

   First complete: Check the invitation

3. Task 3

   Prepare and send a message

   First complete: Tell it what you need

In 1956, the Dartmouth meeting helped establish AI as a research field. Earlier work already existed, and much remained to be discovered.

1. Task 1

   Put the years in order

   First complete: Check the invitation

2. Task 2

   What does each tool do?

   First complete: Put the years in order

3. Task 3

   Explain what happened in 1956

   First complete: What does each tool do?

Joseph Weizenbaum’s ELIZA used rules and words from a message to build responses. It worked differently from today’s generative assistants.

1. Task 1

   Follow the machine’s rules

   First complete: Check the invitation

2. Task 2

   Why did it say that?

   First complete: Follow the machine’s rules

3. Task 3

   Ask for the missing details

   First complete: Why did it say that?

In 1997, Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in a chess match under tournament controls. The victory demonstrated a specialised chess capability.

1. Task 1

   Describe what was tested

   First complete: Put the years in order

2. Task 2

   Choose a tool

   First complete: Describe what was tested

3. Task 3

   Count the wins and losses

   First complete: Choose a tool

The work known as AlexNet achieved a major image-classification result in 2012. Learning from examples and image recognition had earlier precedents. Here we use a simple simulation.

1. Task 1

   Help it tell dogs and wolves apart

   First complete: Check the invitation

2. Task 2

   Try different writing and photos

   First complete: Help it tell dogs and wolves apart

3. Task 3

   Describe the photo without guessing

   First complete: Try different writing and photos

AlphaGo beat Lee Sedol 4–1 in 2016. It combined learning and search to play Go. The delivery exercise simplifies the idea of testing a strategy and observing results.

1. Task 1

   The flowers must arrive intact

   First complete: Help it tell dogs and wolves apart

2. Task 2

   Try a route and improve it

   First complete: The flowers must arrive intact

3. Task 3

   Test it with obstacles too

   First complete: Try a route and improve it

A 2016 Google paper described YouTube recommendation systems. Recommendations already existed. Our simulated market explores how activity can influence what gets shown.

1. Task 1

   Change your recommendations

   First complete: Check the invitation

2. Task 2

   Is that book useful for you?

   First complete: Change your recommendations

3. Task 3

   Share only what is needed

   First complete: Is that book useful for you?

ChatGPT was introduced on 30 November 2022. Its conversation format allowed requests and follow-up changes. Artificial conversation and text generation had earlier precedents.

1. Task 1

   Build a request for the AI

   First complete: Check the invitation

2. Task 2

   Check the summary

   First complete: Build a request for the AI

3. Task 3

   Ask for a friendlier message

   First complete: Check the summary

In September 2023, a gradual rollout of image and voice in ChatGPT was announced. It is an example of how ways of interacting with these assistants expanded.

1. Task 1

   Prepare the photo before sending it

   First complete: Build a request for the AI

2. Task 2

   Write, show or speak?

   First complete: Prepare the photo before sending it

3. Task 3

   Explain where the image came from

   First complete: Write, show or speak?

In 2024, developments such as GPT-4o combined text, images and audio. Suspected voice impersonation attempts were also documented. Appearances or a familiar voice need context to verify their origin.

1. Task 1

   Check who is calling

   First complete: Check the invitation

2. Task 2

   Check the news about the bridge

   First complete: Check who is calling

3. Task 3

   Compare the headline with the test

   First complete: Check the news about the bridge

Operator was introduced in January 2025 as a research preview able to act in a browser. Earlier work included Anthropic’s 2024 computer-use announcement. These capabilities need limits and review.

1. Task 1

   Tell it when to stop

   First complete: Ask for a friendlier message

2. Task 2

   Check the price and access

   First complete: Tell it when to stop

3. Task 3

   Avoid booking twice

   First complete: Check the price and access

September 2026 is the destination of this journey. The year is still unfolding. Here we apply what we learned without presenting future predictions as facts.

1. Task 1

   Use what you have learned

   First complete: Describe the photo without guessing

2. Task 2

   Check the final programme

   First complete: Use what you have learned

3. Task 3

   Prepare for your first everyday use

   First complete: Check the final programme