Week 1 — How AI Actually Works
Learning objectives
- Describe in plain language what a large language model (LLM) and an image generator are doing under the hood.
- Distinguish between AI that predicts, AI that classifies, and AI that generates.
- Recognise where AI is already embedded in everyday tools (search, social feeds, photo apps, autocorrect).
Core concepts
AI systems are pattern-matching engines trained on huge datasets. They do not “know” things the way a person does — they produce statistically likely outputs based on what they’ve seen before. This single idea explains most of what comes later in the course: why AI hallucinates, why it reflects bias, and why it can sound confident while being wrong.
Discussion prompts
- Before this week, what did each of you assume AI was actually doing when you asked it a question? How close was that to the reality?
- Where have you noticed AI showing up in apps you already use? Make a list together.
- If an AI is just predicting the next likely word, what kinds of questions is it probably good at — and what kinds is it probably bad at?
- Teen to parent: what’s one thing you wish adults understood about how your generation uses AI? Parent to teen: what’s one thing you wish you understood better?
At-home activity: “Same question, three tools”
Pick one open-ended question you both genuinely care about (e.g. “What should we cook for dinner this week on a $60 budget?” or “What were the causes of WWI?”). Ask the same question in three different tools — for example ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and a regular Google search. Compare the answers side by side: - Where do they agree? - Where do they disagree? - Which one cites sources? Are the sources real? - Which felt most confident? Was confidence the same as correctness?
Write down one sentence each about what surprised you.
Parent resource list
- Day of AI & Common Sense Media — “What Is AI for Families” video series and toolkit — short, age-appropriate explainers built specifically for family conversations.
- MIT RAISE — Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education — MIT’s hub for AI literacy curricula, including materials usable at home.
- The Common Parent — Parent’s Guide to AI — honest, non-fear-based overview of where AI shows up in kids’ digital lives.
- Elements of AI (free online course) — University of Helsinki’s free introductory course; excellent if a teen wants to go deeper.
Reflection
Write one sentence: “Before this week I thought AI was ___; now I think it’s ___.”