AI skills for beginners. Start with something you can check.
Seven small practice sessions. Fictional inputs, useful prompts and answers you can inspect. No coding or AI subscription needed.
Free practice · Start at your own pace · No account required
- The fictional source
- The workshop is on Wednesday, 14:00–14:45, in Room B.
- The practice draft
- Join us on Thursday at 15:00 in Room D.
A smooth sentence changed three facts. Checking the source is part of the skill.
Seven sessions. One checkable work sample.
Allow about 10 minutes for each session, or take longer. Start anywhere and return to the parts you need. Every brief and draft is invented for practice; none is output from a live AI tool.
0 of 7 marked practiced. Marks stay in this page and reset when you reload.
1. Choose an input you can use
Practice deciding what belongs in a learning exercise before opening an AI tool.
Your fictional source
- Option A: the invented workshop brief supplied on this page.
- Option B: an actual staff contact export with names removed but job titles and personal notes retained. This is a description only; no real record is supplied.
- You have not checked your employer’s tool or data rules.
Try it yourself
Choose a practice input. Explain why the other option needs a permission check.
Practice draft to question
Use Option B. Removing names makes the staff export safe to paste into any AI tool.
Show a checked answer and why it works
Use Option A for this exercise. Removing names does not establish permission to share a real record. Check your employer’s approved tools and data rules before using workplace information.
- The invented brief is enough to practice; no staff export is needed.
- Job titles and personal notes may still reveal information about a person or the organization.
- A tool being available does not mean your employer has approved that use.
Keep: An input rule: use supplied fiction for practice; check permission before using real workplace information.
A personal note, not an assessment of proficiency.
2. Tell the tool what a good result needs
Define the audience, output and limits before asking for a draft.
Your fictional source
- The fictional Lantern workshop is for colleagues learning to organize project files.
- It takes place on Wednesday, 14:00–14:45, in Room B. Mara is the organizer.
- Attendance is free and materials are provided.
- Registration closes on Tuesday at 16:00.
- The brief says nothing about refreshments, recordings or attendance certificates.
Try it yourself
Improve the request below. Ask for a colleague-facing invitation of no more than 35 words, using only the brief.
Practice draft to question
Write an exciting workshop invitation. Add whatever will persuade people to attend.
Show a checked answer and why it works
Write a friendly invitation for colleagues in no more than 35 words. Include the workshop name, purpose, day, time, room, cost, materials and registration deadline. Use only the supplied brief. Do not add benefits, refreshments or certificates. Leave out anything the brief does not confirm.
- The reader, requested format and word limit are explicit.
- The request names the facts that must survive the rewrite.
- Clear instructions define a check; they do not guarantee that a tool will follow it.
Keep: A reusable brief: reader + output + source facts + limits + a check.
A personal note, not an assessment of proficiency.
3. Read the draft against the source
Separate a polished sentence from a supported statement.
Your fictional source
- The fictional Lantern workshop is for colleagues learning to organize project files.
- It takes place on Wednesday, 14:00–14:45, in Room B. Mara is the organizer.
- Attendance is free and materials are provided.
- Registration closes on Tuesday at 16:00.
- The brief says nothing about refreshments, recordings or attendance certificates.
Try it yourself
Find every unsupported detail in this invitation, then compare your correction with the answer.
Practice draft to question
Join Lantern on Thursday at 15:00 in Room D. Lunch is included, and you will receive a certificate. Register by Tuesday at 16:00.
Show a checked answer and why it works
Join our free Lantern workshop on Wednesday, 14:00–14:45 in Room B. Practice organizing project files. Materials are provided. Register by Tuesday at 16:00.
- Thursday, 15:00 and Room D conflict with Wednesday, 14:00–14:45 and Room B.
- Lunch and a certificate are unsupported. The brief confirms materials, not refreshments or a qualification.
- The registration deadline in the draft was correct. Preserve it while correcting the other facts.
Keep: The corrected invitation, beside the source facts used to check it.
A personal note, not an assessment of proficiency.
4. Check the numbers before the conclusion
Recalculate a small table and keep its categories intact.
Your fictional source
This is a separate, invented booking exercise with two sessions.
| Session | Capacity | Registered |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | 12 | 9 |
| Afternoon | 8 | 6 |
No rule says that places can be transferred between the sessions.
Try it yourself
Work out the available places in each session and in total. Check both parts of the draft.
Practice draft to question
There are 5 places left, so 5 more people can join the afternoon session.
Show a checked answer and why it works
Morning: 12 − 9 = 3 places. Afternoon: 8 − 6 = 2 places. Total: 3 + 2 = 5 places across the two sessions. Only 2 of those places are in the afternoon.
- The total of 5 is correct, but the claim about 5 afternoon places is not.
- Keep each capacity attached to its own session; a correct total can conceal a wrong allocation.
- Check arithmetic independently, using a calculator if useful. Do not treat a tool’s claim that it checked itself as evidence.
Keep: A checked table with 3 morning places, 2 afternoon places and 5 places overall.
A personal note, not an assessment of proficiency.
5. Change the tone without changing the facts
Make a message useful to its reader while preserving its evidence.
Your fictional source
- The fictional Lantern workshop is for colleagues learning to organize project files.
- It takes place on Wednesday, 14:00–14:45, in Room B. Mara is the organizer.
- Attendance is free and materials are provided.
- Registration closes on Tuesday at 16:00.
- The brief says nothing about refreshments, recordings or attendance certificates.
- For this exercise, the invitation should be friendly, direct and no more than 35 words.
Try it yourself
Replace the hype with a short, factual invitation. Keep the practical details a colleague needs.
Practice draft to question
Transform your career forever at our exclusive Lantern masterclass. You are guaranteed to become an expert. Don’t miss out!
Show a checked answer and why it works
Join our free Lantern workshop on Wednesday, 14:00–14:45 in Room B. Practice organizing project files. Materials are provided. Register by Tuesday at 16:00.
- Career transformation, exclusivity and guaranteed expertise are not in the source.
- The checked invitation keeps the day, time, room and registration deadline; it also states the purpose, cost and materials.
- The example is within 35 words when separated by spaces. Other accurate phrasings can work too.
Keep: One short invitation that is easier to use without adding a claim.
A personal note, not an assessment of proficiency.
6. Leave an unanswered question visible
Know when another prompt cannot supply a missing decision.
Your fictional source
- The fictional Lantern workshop is for colleagues learning to organize project files.
- It takes place on Wednesday, 14:00–14:45, in Room B. Mara is the organizer.
- Attendance is free and materials are provided.
- Registration closes on Tuesday at 16:00.
- The brief says nothing about refreshments, recordings or attendance certificates.
- A fictional colleague asks: ‘Will there be a recording if I cannot attend?’
Try it yourself
Draft a reply without pretending the organizer has made a decision or that you have contacted them.
Practice draft to question
Yes. I have arranged for Mara to send you the recording on Thursday.
Show a checked answer and why it works
The brief does not say whether there will be a recording. Mara is the organizer; please check with Mara before relying on one.
- The existence of a recording and the Thursday delivery date are both unsupported.
- Do not say a message was sent or an arrangement was made when it was not.
- The next step is to ask the organizer. Rewording the prompt does not create missing evidence.
Keep: A reply that says what is unknown and identifies who can clarify it.
A personal note, not an assessment of proficiency.
7. Make a small practice record
Describe what you checked and what still needs practice.
Your fictional source
- You have the fictional brief, a corrected invitation and the booking arithmetic from the earlier sessions.
- These are authored learning exercises. They are not a test of a live model or a real workplace outcome.
- You have no recorded comparison of task time and no independent assessment of your skills.
Try it yourself
Rewrite the practice note so it makes only claims supported by the work above.
Practice draft to question
I am certified in AI, saved half my working week and can now automate this workflow without review.
Show a checked answer and why it works
I practiced briefing, checking facts and arithmetic, revising a message and identifying missing information using fictional workshop material. I kept the source, corrected invitation and answer checks. Next, I will try a relevant role exercise and record setup, drafting and review effort.
- Completing these sessions does not award a qualification or establish proficiency.
- There is no measured time saving or basis for removing review.
- A useful practice record contains the source, an output, corrections and a specific next task.
Keep: A modest evidence note and one next practice task, at a pace that fits your responsibilities.
A personal note, not an assessment of proficiency.
Keep the whole practice plan
Copy all seven sessions, including the fictional sources, answer checks and your practice marks. No account or email is needed.
You can also select and copy the text manually below.
Select the complete plan
Give the skill a place in your work.
A checked practice sample gives you something to build on. Choose one task, keep its review step and see what you need to learn next.
Plan my next practiceBefore you begin
Do I need coding skills or an AI account?
No. These exercises use ordinary language and supplied drafts, so you can practice on this page or in your notes. Using an approved AI tool is an optional extra. Developing AI software is a different learning path.
Can I learn this on my own?
You can work through these examples independently and compare your answers with the checks. Seven sessions are a suggested starting point, not proof of proficiency. For an actual work task, get suitable review and follow your employer’s tool and data rules.
Do I have to finish in seven days?
No. Each session has a suggested 10-minute allowance, not a deadline or a measured completion time. Repeat, split or spread them out. Copy the plan if you want to continue later; the practice marks reset when this page reloads.
Will I earn a certificate or protect my job?
No certificate is issued. This is free practice with fictional material, not an accredited course, a skills test or a guarantee about your career. Keep a modest record of what you tried, checked and still need to learn.
Sources and further learning
The sources support clear instructions, verification and responsible use. The practice material and seven-session sequence are our own teaching examples, with no measured learning or career outcome.
- Skills England: AI foundation skills for work benchmark
Published 28 January 2026
Guidance for England that includes clear instructions, routine use, adjusting tools and responsible checking. These original sessions introduce some of those ideas; they are not an accredited course or a complete assessment of the benchmark.
- NIST: Generative Artificial Intelligence Profile (AI 600-1)
Published 26 July 2024
Explains risks including confidently false output and data privacy, and recommends verifying sources. It supports the checking habits here, not a claim about the accuracy of any particular AI tool.
For more structured reading, try Microsoft Learn’s introduction to generative AI. It includes critical thinking and product-specific examples. The lessons are publicly readable; recorded assessment credit requires sign-in.
By Future of My Job, with AI assistance. Published and sources checked .
Not sure which part of your work to start with?
The free assessment asks about your tasks and gives you a starting point for reflection. Its score is an index, not a probability of losing your job.
Take the free assessment