AI Self-Study Guide

Explore Artificial Intelligence

This self study material is intended for everyone who wants to learn about artificial intelligence and how to use it in everyday life, studies, and work. Here you will find basic information about artificial intelligence, practical tips, task cards, and examples from different life situations, as well as guidance for safe and responsible use.

Texts are translated with the help of AI from the original texts in Finnish on ThingsLink.

Content developed in collaboration with

ENTER ry, Finnish Association of Diverse Learners (Erilaisten oppijoiden liitto), Moniheli Association, SeniorSurf, Finnish Clubhouse Network (Suomen eKlubitalot ry), VALLI – Finnish Association for Older People's Welfare, and the Central Association for the Welfare of Older People (Vanhustyön keskusliitto).

List of Contents

1. What is AI (artificial intelligence)?

2. AI as Everyday Help

3. AI in Studies and Work

3.1 Using AI in Job Searching

3.2 Using AI in Studies

4. Tips for Using AI

5. Key Points to Remember
6. Additional Learning Resources

1. What is AI (artificial intelligence)?

Artificial intelligence is already changing everyday life, work, and learning, and its possibilities continue to grow all the time. This material provides practical tips and examples that can help you save time, discover new solutions, and use artificial intelligence safely and responsibly.

Try out different types of AI programs

Below are a few commonly used AI tools that you can try for free.

Most of them work without creating an account. The exception is Google Gemini, which requires a Google account.

Links open in a new tab.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/
Microsoft Copilot: https://copilot.microsoft.com/
Google Gemini (requires sign-in): https://gemini.google.com/
The European Mistral AI: https://chat.mistral.ai/chat

2. AI as Everyday Help

Artificial intelligence is already an invisible part of everyday activities: a navigator suggests the fastest route based on traffic conditions, smartphone photo searches can find all winter photos, texts can be automatically translated into different languages, streaming services recommend content based on viewing and listening history, and customer service chatbots provide assistance.

Different AI services can also be used as assistants in everyday tasks. Whenever you face any practical challenge, try seeing what kind of solution artificial intelligence could offer for the situation.

Check the practice examples from the boxes below.

A quick introduction to a new topic

Ask AI what you want to learn about. Ask for a short, clear overview or a step-by-step spoken-style explanation. You can even ask it to create a small quiz for you.

Example prompt:
“Explain briefly how solar panels work, and give me three questions at the end to test my understanding.”

Party catering

Ask AI to suggest food and drinks for your party. Provide details such as the number of guests, special dietary requirements (for example, gluten free or vegan), preferred preparation methods (cold or hot dishes), and any other wishes. You can also ask for recipes and a shopping list.

Example prompt:
“Plan the menu for a birthday party with 12 guests. Three of the guests are vegan. I would like mainly savory options. In addition, I want two cakes that are suitable for all guests. I would like one of the cakes to require no oven and be possible to prepare a couple of days before the party. Also provide the recipes and create a shopping list.”

Solving a technical problem

Describe the problem you’re having with your device and ask the AI for a step-by-step solution. Mention the brand, model, and operating system. If you are not sure where to find them, you can ask AI to tell you where to find the model and operating system.

Example prompt:
“My phone doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi. I’m using a Samsung phone with Android 15. Tell me all the things I could try to fix the problem.”

Translating text from a photo

Take a photo of text written in a language you don’t understand, like a food package or a restaurant menu. Ask AI to translate it into your language and, if you want, to explain what it means.

Example prompt:
“Translate the text in this photo into Finnish and tell me if it includes any allergy information.”

Travel guide

Ask AI for travel tips. Tell it how many people are traveling, what you enjoy, what you want to avoid, and any limitations. You can also ask for a schedule or a list of suggested activities.

Example prompt:
“Plan a three-day program in Turku for four adults who enjoy history and good food. We don’t have a car, so keep everything within or near the city centre.”

3.1 Using AI in Job Searching

Artificial intelligence is an excellent assistant when you are looking for a new job.
As a general guideline, AI can be used as a helper and a brainstorming partner.
Despite the temptation, it should not be used for mass producing job applications or exaggerating your skills and qualifications, as employers usually notice this very quickly.

How to use AI in your job search

Considering career choices
Searching for job openings
Drafting or refining your CV
Identifying and articulating your skills
Optimising your LinkedIn profile
Drafting or improving your job application
Collecting information about companies and preparing for interviews
Organising your job search and managing your time

How NOT to use AI in your job search

Always verify any information the AI gives you — don’t forward texts exactly as they are
Listing or inventing exaggerated or false skills for your CV or application
Mass-producing application letters
Cheating on tests or assessments
Pretending to be someone else

Modern studies require students to be independent and organized — able to manage and advance multiple tasks simultaneously, structure and summarize learning materials, and schedule their own work effectively.
AI does not replace humans, but when used appropriately, it can complement teaching, make learning more efficient, and allow learners to focus their efforts on more demanding tasks.
However, if the use of AI replaces your own thinking, learning becomes superficial. Therefore, use AI thoughtfully and make sure that your work progresses through your own insights and understanding.

3.2 Using AI in Studies

3. AI in Studies and Work

AI can be used in many ways to help with everyday tasks, including studying and work.
AI can save you time, help you consider new perspectives, find information, or act as your personal assistant.
However, it is important to be aware that the use of AI involves risks. For this reason, many organizations have developed their own guidelines and policies for the use of AI.
Therefore, familiarize yourself with the AI guidelines of your educational institution or workplace before you start using it.

Proofreading and editing text

You can use AI to plan the structure of an essay, clarify your writing, or improve the language. It can check the grammar, word choices, and sentence structure of a foreign-language text you’ve written. It can also translate text into different languages and give feedback on your own translations.

Keep this in mind: Always read the AI’s corrections and translations carefully and consider whether they make sense in context. Don’t let AI write the text for you — when you create the final version yourself, you build skills that will help you later in working life as well.

Personalising study materials

AI can help you understand complex instructions. You can ask it to break an assignment into numbered steps or reorganise the instructions to make them clearer.

It can also help you adapt study materials to your needs by simplifying the text, summarising content, or suggesting alternative ways to present information.

AI can even help create practice tasks and quizzes. For example, you can ask it to generate questions or multiple-choice items based on your notes. You can also ask it to make the exercises gradually harder so you can progress at your own pace.

Mentoring

AI can act as a conversation partner when your thinking gets stuck. It can help you organise scattered ideas, encourage you, and offer feedback.

Keep this in mind: AI can’t truly understand your situation or emotions, so in more personal or sensitive moments it may give general or shallow answers.

If something worries you or you need personal guidance, turn to a human firs such as a teacher, counsellor, or another professional.

Life management

AI can help you plan your study schedule, make reading timetables, and estimate how much time different tasks might require. You can give it a list of things you want to complete and ask for suggestions on how to organise them in your calendar.

Keep this in mind: AI only offers suggestions — the decisions are yours. Stay in charge of your plans and judge what works best for you.

Thesis

AI can help you search for sources and compare information from different perspectives. For example, it can show how various sources approach the same topic.

It can also reduce the cognitive load of writing a thesis. If you’re stuck while brainstorming your topic, ask the AI for ideas.

Keep this in mind: You can use AI to generate ideas and solve specific problems, but don’t ask it to produce the final text for your thesis. AI isn’t always reliable in applying source criticism, and you are fully responsible for evaluating sources and drawing conclusions. Make sure you understand where the information comes from and ensure that your final interpretations are your own, not the AI’s.

4. Tips for Using AI

AI is at its best as a conversation partner that helps you brainstorm, explain, and refine ideas.
Using AI is easy: ask questions as you would ask a person, and add clarifications or follow up questions when needed.
A good prompt — that is, a clear question or instruction — helps AI provide a response that is tailored to your needs.

Example of a good prompt and a bad prompt
Bad:

Tell me about climate change.

Better:

Write a 200-word plain-language text about how climate change affects Finnish winters. The target audience is lower secondary school students. Include three examples and use a neutral tone.

Be clear and specific
Explain exactly what you want.
Avoid vague requests like “Tell me about AI.” Instead try “Write a 5-point list on how AI can support learning at school.”
Give context
Share the background: who the content is for and what it will be used for.
For example: “Write instructions for a primary school teacher who hasn’t used AI before.”
Define the format and style
Do you want the answer as a list, a table, a story, or Q&A?
Mention whether you want the tone to be formal, casual, plain-language, or expert-level.
Provide an example
Show a sample sentence, structure, or style you want the AI to follow.
For example: “Write the text in a similar style to this example…”
Break big tasks into smaller ones
If you’re asking for many things at once, do it in steps.
First ask for ideas, then ask for the full text.
Set boundaries and details
Tell the AI what you want included — and what you want left out.
For example: “Don’t use marketing language” or “Include only studies from the 2020s.”
Keep the conversation going
A single prompt isn’t always enough.
Ask for revisions: “Make this shorter” or “Add concrete examples.”

Basic rules for a good prompt

5. Key Points to Remember

Check the information

AI isn’t perfect. It can make mistakes or show bias.

Question the information and compare it with other reliable sources.

Be open about using AI

Tell others when content has been created with the help of AI. Transparency is especially important in teaching, communication, and research.

Make sure to indicate where the information comes from. Many people use simple notes like: “This image was created with AI.”

Protect your own and others’ information
Don’t share personal or confidential details, such as ID numbers or passwords.

Make sure you understand how the service stores and uses data.

Information security

Most AI applications require you to create an account and sign in before you can use them.

This is actually beneficial for you as a user, because it helps protect the information you share with the AI and keeps your previous projects safely stored.

Also make sure your device is protected (for example with a screen lock) so that no one else can access your apps.

Responsibility
Don’t spread false information or use AI for harmful purposes.

Respect the rights of original creators.

6. Additional Learning Resources

Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Course

Link: https://ethics-of-ai.mooc.fi/

The University of Helsinki’s free MOOC course explores ethical issues related to artificial intelligence, including responsibility, transparency, and fairness. The course is suitable for anyone who wants to understand how AI is developed and used in a sustainable and ethical way.

AI and the Changing Nature of Literacy

Link: https://www.oph.fi/fi/teemat-ja-kehittaminen/tekoaly-ja-muuttuva-lukutaito

A collection of readings from the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI). Available in Finnish and Swedish only, but can be translated into English and other languages using your browser’s automatic translation feature.

Welcome to the world of fair AI (eOppiva)

Link: https://www.eoppiva.fi/en/courses/welcome-to-the-world-of-fair-ai/

The EU's AI Act requires that AI systems have been carefully designed and that the risks they pose have been minimised. In Europe, AI systems are assessed based on their level of risk, and the regulation aims to ensure that AI systems are safe.

This course explains the effects of the AI Act for AI developers and implementers. In the course, you will receive practical information on how to meet the new requirements.