Level 1 — Applying the Basics
You've had your first AI chat? Great. Now you'll learn how to turn a simple question-and-answer game into a real productivity tool. This level teaches you how to use AI purposefully for everyday tasks — with better prompts, the right tools, and concrete copy-paste templates.
Your First Real Conversation with AI
In Level 0, you asked individual questions. But the true power of AI lies in dialogue. A good AI conversation works like a ping-pong game: you give an instruction, get a response, and build on it.
The trick is to stop treating AI like a search engine and start treating it as a conversation partner. Imagine working with a very fast, very well-read intern — they need clear instructions but deliver amazing results when you tell them exactly what you need.
Practical Tip: The 3-Step Dialogue
- Start broad: Explain your goal and ask for a first draft.
- Refine: Say what you like and what should be different.
- Finalise: Ask for the final version in the desired format.
This back-and-forth is the norm — not the exception. Don't expect the first prompt to be perfect. The magic happens in the iteration.
The Art of a Good Prompt — The RICE Method
A good prompt isn't accidental. With the RICE method, you have a simple recipe that works in most situations:
Role
Tell the AI who it should be. “You are an experienced social media copywriter” or “You are a 5th-grade teacher.”
Instruction
What exactly should the AI do? “Write...” “Explain...” “Compare...” “Summarise...”
Context
Provide background information: Who is this for? What tone? How long? What does the audience already know?
Example
Show the AI an example of the desired result. This is the most powerful building block — one example says more than a thousand explanations.
3 RICE Prompts to Try
Example 1: Writing an Email
Instruction: Write a reply email to a customer who complained about a late delivery.
Context: The package arrived 5 days late. We want to apologise and offer a 10% voucher. Max 80 words.
Example:“Dear Mr Smith, thank you for reaching out. We completely understand your frustration and...”
Example 2: Learning Help
Instruction: Explain the rule of three to me.
Context: I'm 14 years old and have a test tomorrow. Use everyday examples.
Example:“If 3 apples cost €2, how much do 9 apples cost?”
Example 3: Brainstorming
Instruction: Give me 10 ideas for Instagram posts for my café.
Context: We are a small café in a university town with a young audience. Our style is casual and humorous.
Example:“Monday post: Photo of the first coffee of the day with the caption ‘Monday? Not without us.’”
ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini — When to Use Which?
There is no single “best AI.” Each tool has strengths and weaknesses. Here's an honest overview (as of early 2026):
| Tool | Especially Good For | Free? |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | All-rounder, image generation, plugins, code | Yes (basic) |
| Claude | Long texts, analysis, nuance, reading documents | Yes (basic) |
| Gemini | Google integration, research, multimodal | Yes |
| Perplexity | Fact-based research with source citations | Yes (basic) |
Recommendation for Beginners
Start with ChatGPT for everyday tasks. Try Claude when you want to analyse or write longer texts. Use Perplexity when you need facts with visible sources.
Having AI Write Texts — Copy-Paste Prompts
Here are ready-made prompts you can copy and adapt directly. Simply replace the placeholders in [square brackets]:
Professional Email
Summarise Text
Collect Ideas
Pro tip:Save your best prompts in a text file or notes app. Over time, you'll build a personal prompt library that makes you faster and faster.
Creating Images with AI
Text is just the beginning. Modern AI can also generate images — and surprisingly well. The most popular tools:
- DALL-E (integrated into ChatGPT) — easy to use, great for quick illustrations
- Midjourney — produces artistically high-quality images, runs via Discord or its own website
- Adobe Firefly — designed for commercial use, cleaner in terms of copyright
What Makes a Good Image Prompt?
Image prompts work differently from text prompts. What matters most:
- Subject: What should be in the image?
- Style: Photorealistic, illustration, watercolour, minimalist?
- Mood: Warm, cool, dramatic, peaceful?
- Details: Lighting, camera angle, colours
Example: Image Prompt
Tip: Image prompts often work better in English because the models were primarily trained on English image descriptions.
The 3 Golden Rules for Intermediate Users
1. Always Verify the Answers
AIs sound confident — even when they're wrong. Especially with facts, numbers, and quotes: trust is good, double-checking is essential. Use Perplexity for quick fact-checking with source citations.
2. Iterate on Your Prompts
The first prompt doesn't have to be perfect. Use the dialogue: “That's going in the right direction, but make the tone more casual” or “Cut that in half.” Each iteration brings you closer to the goal.
3. Combine Different Tools
No single tool does everything best. Research with Perplexity, write with Claude, create images with DALL-E. In Level 2, you'll learn how to build real workflows from this.
Summary
You now know the RICE method (Role, Instruction, Context, Example), understand which AI tool is best for what, and have ready-made prompts for your everyday tasks. The key is practice — the more you prompt, the more natural it becomes. When you're ready for more, our AI course has in-depth lessons waiting for you.