Intro to ChatGPT

Most first attempts go the same way. You ask it something, read the answer, and it is vague, or generic, or just not what you were after. So you close the tab and get on with your day.

What you are missing is a way of asking. It takes about a morning to learn and it changes what comes back.

This is the front door. If you have never opened ChatGPT, you are exactly who we built this for. We start with your account and the privacy settings that matter, then work through how to ask so the answer is worth having. You will practise on your own real work, not a made-up example.

Then the parts most people never find. Custom instructions, so every new chat already knows who you are and how you want it to answer. And your own Project, set up once for a job you do all the time, with its files and instructions kept in one place.

We also teach you to check its work. ChatGPT is sometimes confidently wrong, and there is a simple routine for catching it before your name goes on anything.

We teach on a paid account so you can see everything, including voice, images and where the wider AI toolkit goes next. You can follow along on a free account for all the fundamentals, and we will be straight with you about what needs paying for and whether it is worth it.

Bring a laptop and something off your actual to-do list. Five facilitators are in the room, so there is always someone to help.

Outcome

• You will have an account set up properly, with the privacy settings sorted

• You will be able to ask in a way that gets you something worth using

• You will have custom instructions set up, so every new chat already knows who you are

• You will have your own Project set up for a job you do all the time

• You will have a simple routine for checking its work before you trust it

• You will know whether a paid plan is worth it for you, having seen what it does

Who this is for

• Anyone curious. Business owners, team members, community and not-for-profit staff, and anyone who keeps meaning to get into this and has not started yet. No prior experience needed.

Who this isn’t for

• If you already use ChatGPT every day and want advanced technique, this will feel slow. You are welcome, and the setup and verification parts will still be worth your time, but ChatGPT Advanced is the one you are waiting for.

More than 6,500 people taught face to face and 400+ organisations helped since we opened in March 2024, and 98% would recommend us. We’ll figure out what works for you, too.

Nelson AI Sandbox provides AI education and information only. We do not provide professional advice. AI tools may produce inaccurate, biased or inappropriate outputs and may raise privacy, confidentiality, intellectual property, security and compliance risks. Users are responsible for assessing suitability and legality before using any AI tool, workflow or output. Liability is excluded to the maximum extent permitted by New Zealand law.