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Using AI in your work

AI tools can speed up writing, images, and even code — but they're an assistant, not the author. Learn what AI is good (and bad) at, how to use it well, and how to do it ethically and credit your work honestly.

Reality check

What AI is good at — and not

AI is powerful when you treat it as a fast, tireless assistant you still supervise. It's risky when you treat its output as automatically correct. Know the difference.

Good: first drafts

Brainstorming, outlines, placeholder copy, boilerplate code — great starting points to refine.

Good: assets

Quick images, icons, and mockups to fill a layout while you design.

Good: explaining

"Why isn't this CSS working?" AI is a patient tutor for concepts and error messages.

Risky: facts & accuracy

AI can sound confident and be wrong ("hallucinate"). Always verify facts, code, and sources yourself.

How to

How to use AI well

  1. Be specific. Give context, the goal, constraints, and an example. Vague prompts get vague answers.
  2. Iterate. Treat the first reply as a draft — refine with "make it shorter," "more formal," "fix this part."
  3. Verify everything. Test the code, fact-check claims, and read it critically before you use it.
  4. Make it yours. Edit and adapt the output so it reflects your voice and meets the real requirement.
  5. Keep your judgment. You're responsible for the final result — AI doesn't understand your goal, you do.
Lessons

Go deeper — two full lessons

These detailed lessons cover responsible AI use for real coursework and projects.

AI Tools for Images, Video & Websites

What AI is good at and not, and how to use AI image/video/site tools responsibly — a full class-session lesson.

Open the lesson →

Ethics, Safety & Crediting Your Work

The ethics of AI, how to use it safely, and how to honestly credit AI assistance in what you turn in.

Open the lesson →

AI Citation Cheatsheet

A printable quick-reference with copy-ready credit lines for AI text, images, video, music & code.

Open the cheatsheet →
Ethics

Use it responsibly

Do

  • Use AI to learn, draft, and speed up — then refine
  • Verify facts, code, and sources before trusting them
  • Credit AI assistance when your class or job requires it
  • Check you have the right to use AI-generated images
  • Keep your own voice and understanding front and center

Don't

  • Paste AI output as your own without reading or editing it
  • Trust facts or code without testing them
  • Put private or personal data into AI tools
  • Ignore your school's or workplace's AI policy
  • Let AI replace learning the fundamentals
Bottom line: AI is a tool that makes a skilled person faster — it doesn't make an unskilled person skilled. Keep building the fundamentals on this site, and let AI assist, not replace, your work. See the ethics lesson for how to credit it properly.