Overview
This course provides a practical and strategically focused introduction to generative Artificial Intelligence (Ai).
Participants explore why organisations should take a proactive approach to AI adoption rather than allowing informal or unmanaged usage to develop.
The course will help you to understand:
- How Ai can support communications, operations, service delivery, monitoring and evaluation, and research always with attention to mission alignment, proportionality, and risk.
- Common limitations of Ai systems, including inaccuracy (hallucinations), bias, data privacy risks, and over-reliance.
- The need for practical mitigation strategies such as human review protocols, clear internal policies, responsible data handling, and structured oversight.
- Regulatory and ethical landscape is included, covering obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and developments such as the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. Particular emphasis is placed on reputational risk, transparency, and safeguarding when working with vulnerable communities.
In addition, participants also learn how to obtain useful, relevant, and accurate outputs from Ai systems through effective prompting techniques, contextual framing, iterative refinement, and verification practices.
By the end of the course, participants will have a clear understanding of how generative Ai works, where it can create value, what risks require management, and how to introduce it responsibly.
The focus throughout is not on technology for its own sake, but on strengthening organisational effectiveness while upholding ethical standards and public trust.
