Course outline
Module 1
Module 1: What Is AI and How Does It Work?
What Is AI and How Does It Work?
Knowledge check
Q1. In simple terms, what is artificial intelligence (AI)?
- A. A robot that can walk and talk like a person
- B. Computer systems that can perform tasks that usually require human thinking, such as recognizing speech or making decisions ✓
- C. A special type of computer that never makes mistakes
- D. The internet connecting all of the world's computers together
Why: AI refers to computer systems designed to carry out tasks that normally need human intelligence, such as understanding language, recognizing pictures, or making predictions. It does not have to look like a robot, and it can make mistakes.
Q2. How does a typical AI system learn to do its job?
- A. A programmer types in every possible answer ahead of time
- B. It is given large amounts of example data and finds patterns in that data ✓
- C. It reads the minds of the people who use it
- D. It copies answers from other computers over the internet
Why: Most modern AI learns from examples. By studying large amounts of data, such as millions of photos or sentences, it learns to spot patterns and use them on new information it has never seen before.
Q3. Which of these is a common everyday example of AI?
- A. A paper calendar hanging on the wall
- B. A traditional wind-up alarm clock
- C. A voice assistant that answers questions when you speak to it ✓
- D. A printed newspaper
Why: Voice assistants on phones and smart speakers use AI to understand spoken words and respond. Calendars, wind-up clocks, and printed newspapers do not use AI.
Q4. What is a good way to think about the answers an AI chatbot gives you?
- A. They are always perfectly accurate, so you never need to check them
- B. They can be helpful starting points, but important facts are worth double-checking with trusted sources ✓
- C. They are written by a real person sitting at a computer somewhere
- D. They are only useful for entertainment and never for information
Why: AI chatbots are useful for explanations, ideas, and drafting text, but they can sometimes make mistakes or state things confidently that are wrong. For medical, legal, or financial decisions, it is wise to verify with reliable sources or a professional.
Q5. What does the term 'machine learning' mean?
- A. Teaching people to repair machines in a factory
- B. A type of AI where computers improve at a task by learning from data, rather than following only fixed step-by-step rules ✓
- C. Building faster computer hardware
- D. Storing files on a computer's hard drive
Why: Machine learning is a branch of AI in which a computer gets better at a task through experience with data. Instead of a programmer writing every rule by hand, the system discovers useful rules on its own from examples.
Module 2
Module 2: Talking to Your Computer: Voice Assistants
Talking to Your Computer: Voice Assistants
Knowledge check
Q1. What is a voice assistant?
- A. A person who helps you type letters
- B. A program you can talk to that answers questions and carries out tasks when you speak ✓
- C. A printer that works without paper
- D. A type of television remote control
Why: A voice assistant is software that listens to your spoken words, understands them, and responds or performs tasks, such as checking the weather or setting a reminder.
Q2. What word or phrase is usually used to wake up a voice assistant before you speak to it?
- A. Start typing
- B. A wake word, such as 'Hey Siri' or 'Alexa' ✓
- C. Press the power button three times
- D. Open the settings menu
Why: Most voice assistants listen for a special wake word, like 'Hey Siri,' 'Alexa,' or 'OK Google,' before they begin paying attention to your request.
Q3. Which of these is a good example of something you could ask a voice assistant to do?
- A. Mail a package for you
- B. Set a reminder to take your medicine at 8 in the morning ✓
- C. Cook dinner in the oven
- D. Repair a broken chair
Why: Voice assistants can set reminders, timers, and alarms, which is especially helpful for remembering medications or appointments. They cannot perform physical tasks like cooking or repairs.
Q4. If the voice assistant does not understand you, what is a helpful thing to do?
- A. Shout as loudly as you can
- B. Give up and never use it again
- C. Speak slowly and clearly, then try rephrasing your request in simple words ✓
- D. Unplug the device immediately
Why: Speaking clearly at a calm pace and using simple, direct phrases usually helps the assistant understand you. Shouting often makes recognition harder, not easier.
Q5. Do voice assistants need an internet connection to answer most questions?
- A. No, they never need any connection
- B. Yes, most rely on the internet to look up information and answer questions ✓
- C. Only on Sundays
- D. Only if the device is painted blue
Why: Most voice assistants send your request over the internet to find answers, so a working connection is needed for things like weather, news, and general questions. Some simple tasks like timers may still work offline.
Module 3
Module 3: Staying Safe Online: Spotting Scams and Fakes
Staying Safe Online: Spotting Scams and Fakes
Knowledge check
Q1. You receive an email saying your bank account is locked and you must click a link right away to unlock it. What is the best first step?
- A. Click the link quickly so your account is not locked for long
- B. Ignore the link and contact your bank directly using the phone number on your bank card or statement ✓
- C. Reply to the email with your account number and password
- D. Forward the email to all your friends so they can check their accounts too
Why: Scammers create urgency to make you act without thinking. Contacting your bank through a trusted number you already have is the safest way to verify any warning.
Q2. An AI-generated photo of a person you have never met is used in a profile on a dating or social media site. Which sign is the most helpful clue that something may be wrong?
- A. The person has a smile in the photo
- B. The person asks you to move the conversation to a private app and quickly asks for money or gifts ✓
- C. The person lists a hobby such as gardening
- D. The person uses proper spelling and punctuation
Why: Fake profiles often use AI-generated or stolen photos, and a request for money or a fast move to private messaging is a common warning sign of a romance scam.
Q3. What does a padlock icon and 'https' at the start of a website address generally indicate?
- A. The website is guaranteed to be free of all scams
- B. The connection to the website is encrypted, but the site itself could still be fake ✓
- C. The website is run by the government
- D. The website will never ask for personal information
Why: The padlock and https mean your data is encrypted in transit, but scam sites can also use them. You still need to check that the web address is spelled correctly and is the real company.
Q4. You see a voice message that sounds exactly like your grandchild saying they are in trouble and need money sent immediately. What should you do?
- A. Send the money right away since it sounds like your grandchild
- B. Hang up and call your grandchild directly on a number you already know to confirm ✓
- C. Ask the caller for the password you set up together
- D. Post about it online to ask others for advice
Why: AI can now copy a person's voice from short audio clips. Verifying through a separate, trusted phone number you already have is the best protection against this kind of emergency scam.
Q5. Which of these AI-generated content signs is most useful when judging whether a news article or image might be fake?
- A. It is written in a long paragraph
- B. It makes you feel strong emotion and is shared without any source or date, so you check other reliable sources before believing or sharing it ✓
- C. It has a large number of pictures
- D. It was sent to you by a family member
Why: Fake content is designed to provoke strong feelings and spread quickly. Pausing, checking the source, and looking for the same story on trusted news sites helps you spot fakes before sharing them.
Module 4
Module 4: Using AI Chatbots for Everyday Questions
Using AI Chatbots for Everyday Questions
Knowledge check
Q1. What is an AI chatbot best described as?
- A. A type of computer virus that spreads through email
- B. A computer program you can talk to by typing or speaking, which answers questions and helps with tasks ✓
- C. A search engine that only shows pictures
- D. A printer that connects to the internet
Why: An AI chatbot is a program designed to have a conversation with you in everyday language, answering questions and helping with tasks like writing or planning.
Q2. Which of these is a good example of an everyday question you could ask an AI chatbot?
- A. What is the best way to plan a healthy weekly meal menu? ✓
- B. What is the password to my bank account?
- C. Please send this letter to my grandchildren for me.
- D. Turn off my home's electricity at midnight.
Why: Chatbots are well suited to general questions and planning help like meal ideas. They should not be trusted with passwords, and they cannot send mail or control your home unless specifically connected to those devices.
Q3. Why should you double-check important information an AI chatbot gives you, such as medical dosages or legal deadlines?
- A. Because chatbots always give perfectly accurate answers
- B. Because chatbots can sometimes make mistakes or give outdated information ✓
- C. Because chatbots only answer questions about weather
- D. Because chatbots are not allowed to answer any health questions
Why: AI chatbots can produce incorrect or out-of-date answers while sounding confident. For important decisions, it is wise to confirm with a doctor, pharmacist, lawyer, or official source.
Q4. What should you avoid sharing with an AI chatbot?
- A. A general question about gardening tips
- B. A request to help rewrite a holiday greeting
- C. Sensitive personal details such as your Social Security number, bank passwords, or full credit card numbers ✓
- D. A recipe you would like to make a little healthier
Why: Private identifiers and financial login details should never be typed into a chatbot. Keeping sensitive information private protects you from identity theft and fraud.
Q5. If you want a chatbot to give you a more useful answer, what is a helpful approach?
- A. Type only one word and hope for the best
- B. Give clear details about what you need, such as your situation and the kind of answer you want ✓
- C. Use only capital letters so it understands you
- D. Ask the same question repeatedly without any changes
Why: Chatbots respond better when given context. Describing your situation and what you are hoping for helps the chatbot provide a more relevant and helpful answer.
Module 5
Module 5: AI in Your Health and Wellbeing
AI in Your Health and Wellbeing
Knowledge check
Q1. Which of the following is the best way to use an AI health assistant when you have a worrying symptom?
- A. Follow whatever the AI says without checking with anyone
- B. Use the AI to learn more about the symptom, then contact your doctor for a proper diagnosis ✓
- C. Stop taking all your medications as the AI suggests
- D. Wait a few months and see if the AI notices any changes
Why: AI tools can help you understand symptoms and prepare questions, but they cannot examine you or replace a doctor's judgment. Always confirm health concerns with a qualified professional.
Q2. What is a sensible precaution when sharing personal health information with an AI chatbot?
- A. Share your full medical records, including your insurance number
- B. Share your name and address so the AI can send reminders
- C. Avoid sharing identifying details like your full name, address, or insurance numbers ✓
- D. Share your passwords so the AI can book appointments for you
Why: Keeping identifying information private protects you from misuse of your data. You can usually describe symptoms and questions without giving away personal identifiers.
Q3. An AI wellness app suggests a new exercise routine. What should you consider before starting?
- A. Start immediately at the highest intensity the app recommends
- B. Ignore it, since apps never give useful advice
- C. Check with your doctor first, especially if you have existing health conditions ✓
- D. Assume the app knows your health history perfectly
Why: AI suggestions are general and may not account for your medical history, medications, or physical limits. A quick check with your doctor helps keep new routines safe.
Q4. Which statement about AI-generated health information is most accurate?
- A. It is always up to date and error-free
- B. It can sometimes be wrong or outdated, so it is worth verifying with reliable sources ✓
- C. It is written only by licensed physicians
- D. It cannot contain any useful general information
Why: AI can make mistakes or present outdated information with confidence. Checking claims against trusted sources such as your doctor, pharmacist, or national health services is a good habit.
Q5. A reminder app uses AI to tell you when to take your medication. What is the most important thing to do?
- A. Let the app change your dosage whenever it thinks best
- B. Set up reminders, but keep your prescription instructions from your doctor or pharmacist as the final authority ✓
- C. Delete your prescription list so the app can store it instead
- D. Take double doses if the app sends an alert you missed one
Why: Reminder tools are helpful for staying on schedule, but dosage decisions belong to your prescriber and pharmacist. Never let an app change your medication on its own.
Module 6
Module 6: Keeping Connected: AI for Family and Friends
Keeping Connected: AI for Family and Friends
Knowledge check
Q1. Which of these is a good way to use AI to help you write a message to a grandchild?
- A. Share your private bank account password so the AI can send the message for you
- B. Ask the AI to suggest a few friendly opening lines, then edit them so they sound like you ✓
- C. Let the AI send the message automatically without you reading it first
- D. Type the message in all capital letters so the AI understands the tone
Why: AI tools work well as writing helpers. Reviewing and personalizing the suggestions keeps the message genuine and in your own voice. You should never share passwords with an AI tool, and it's wise to read anything before it is sent.
Q2. If you receive an email that seems to be from a relative asking for urgent money through a gift card, what is the safest first step?
- A. Buy the gift cards right away to help them
- B. Reply to the email with your credit card number
- C. Call the relative on a phone number you already know to confirm the request ✓
- D. Forward the email to everyone in your address book
Why: Scammers often impersonate family members and create urgency. Verifying by calling a number you already trust is the safest way to check whether the request is real.
Q3. Which statement best describes how an AI chatbot like a conversation assistant works?
- A. It is a real person typing replies from a secret office
- B. It generates responses based on patterns learned from large amounts of text, and it can make mistakes ✓
- C. It always knows every fact about your family and friends
- D. It can see and remember everything you do on your phone
Why: AI chatbots generate responses from patterns in the data they were trained on. They are helpful but can be wrong, so it's good to double-check important facts.
Q4. Your friend shares a photo through a messaging app and asks if you can help identify the place in it. What is a sensible way to use AI for this?
- A. Upload any private photos of your friend to a public website without asking them
- B. Ask your friend's permission before sharing their photo with an AI tool, and avoid uploading others' personal information without consent ✓
- C. Post the photo publicly to see if strangers recognize it
- D. Delete the photo immediately so no one can ever see it again
Why: Respecting other people's privacy matters when using AI. Asking permission before sharing someone else's photo or personal details is the considerate and safe approach.
Q5. What is a helpful way to use AI to stay in touch with friends who live far away?
- A. Use it to plan a video call by asking for time zone conversions and a reminder to send an invitation ✓
- B. Use it to replace all phone calls so you never speak with anyone again
- C. Use it to automatically unfriend people who haven't replied quickly
- D. Use it to read your friends' private messages without them knowing
Why: AI can handle practical tasks like converting time zones, drafting invitations, and setting reminders, which makes staying connected easier. It should support real conversations, not replace them or invade privacy.
Module 7
Module 7: Protecting Your Privacy in the AI Age
Protecting Your Privacy in the AI Age
Knowledge check
Q1. Before you type personal information into an AI chatbot, what is the most sensible first step?
- A. Assume the conversation is completely private and forget about it
- B. Check the service's privacy policy to learn whether your conversations may be stored or used for training
- C. Share everything, because AI tools are designed to keep secrets
- D. Ask the chatbot to promise it will delete your information
Q2. Which of the following is the safest kind of information to avoid sharing with an AI chatbot?
- A. A general question about how to bake bread
- B. Your full Social Security number or bank account details
- C. A summary of a news article you want explained
- D. Ideas for a birthday card message for a friend
Q3. A message pops up claiming to be from an AI company and asks you to click a link and enter your password to 'verify your account.' What should you do?
- A. Click the link quickly so your account is not locked
- B. Enter your password, since the message seems official
- C. Ignore the link and go directly to the company's website by typing its address yourself to check
- D. Reply to the message with your password and security questions
Q4. Why might an AI assistant ask for permission to access your contacts, photos, or location?
- A. It cannot function at all without knowing every detail about you
- B. Such access can be useful for certain features, so you should grant only what you need and review those permissions regularly
- C. It is required by law for every AI app to collect this data
- D. It wants to send you more advertisements only
Q5. Which habit best helps protect your privacy when using AI tools over time?
- A. Using the same simple password for every app so you do not forget it
- B. Turning on two-factor authentication and periodically reviewing your privacy settings and stored chat history
- C. Never updating your devices or apps
- D. Sharing your login details with family members who use the same tools