AI for Grown-Ups

"I don't even know where to start, and everyone seems to already know." We address this before a single lesson begins.

What's in this module (60–75 mins):

1. What AI actually is and what it isn't. No jargon, no science lecture, no science fiction.
2. The three things AI does well, the three things it does badly, and why
3. Choosing your first tool: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Copilot, side by side
4. Signing up safely: what to share, what not to, what to never share
5. Setting up your account so it doesn't train on you (privacy walkthrough)
6. Your dashboard, your settings, your first hello

"I'm going to ask it the wrong thing and look stupid." Spoiler: the AI doesn't care, and neither do we.

What's in this module (75–90 mins):

1. Prompting in plain English. AI is not Google; stop typing keywords.
2. The four-line prompt that works for almost anything (context, task, format, tone)
3. How to ask AI to ask YOU better questions
4. When to be specific, when to be vague, when to start over
5. Mistakes everyone makes in week one
6. Saving and reusing prompts that work

"I'm worried I'll become lazy, or stop thinking for myself." Addressed head-on: AI does the typing. You still do the thinking.

What's in this module (90 mins, pick-your-path):

You choose three of six paths based on what's useful in your life right now:

1. Writing emails, letters, complaints and replies you've been putting off
2. Summarising long things: documents, articles, contracts, meeting notes
3. Planning: trips, events, projects, family stuff
4. Research that doesn't lie to you (with verification habits built in)
5. Health information you can use without panicking (with sensible disclaimers)
6. Money and admin: budgets, comparing options, drafting letters to banks, insurers, MyGov

"Will I actually use this, or is it just a course I forget about?" This module anchors everything in a real project you care about.

What's in this module (90–120 mins, choose one track):

• Track A, Write something: Memoir, family history, eulogy, speech, blog post, letter to the editor
• Track B, Start something: Small business idea, side project, Substack, community group
• Track C, Sort something: Planning a retirement, renovation, trip or estate matter
• Track D, Learn something: New hobby, language or skill, with AI as your tutor

Live cohort students get a 30-minute coaching call to lock in their project before the module begins.

"I've heard horror stories. What if I get scammed or burned?" This module exists specifically because that fear is legitimate.

What's in this module (75 mins):

1. Hallucinations: what they are, how to spot them, what to do about them
2. AI confidently wrong vs AI quietly right. Developing your own judgement.
3. Scam awareness for Australians over 50: voice cloning, grandparent scams, romance scams, fake invoices, deepfake videos
4. Privacy and the Australian Privacy Act in plain English
5. What to never put into AI: financial details, medical IDs, others' personal information, legal matters
6. When to trust, when to verify, when to walk away

"Will I still be able to use this in six months when everything changes again?" Yes. The literacy travels. The tools are interchangeable.

What's in this module (60 mins):

1. Building your weekly AI routine: one page, one habit, one tool
2. Knowing when NOT to use AI. The strongest sign you actually understand it.
3. Staying current without staying anxious. How to read AI news without panic.
4. Where to go next: paid tools worth it, paid tools not worth it
5. Bringing a partner, friend or family member along
6. Final reflection: what you can do now that you couldn't six weeks ago