Library workshop to offer training in AI use

Residents interested in artificial intelligence can explore the fundamentals of the technology during an upcoming workshop at the Georgia T. Lord Library, 1900 N Civic Square in Goodyear.

The “AI Workshop” will take place Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the library’s Community Room. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop for this interactive session, which will include group work, demonstrations, and live feedback.

Presented by Antonio Nava, a program director at the University of California San Diego, the session will introduce foundational concepts in artificial intelligence, including its history, terminology and current applications.

The workshop will focus heavily on prompt engineering, the practice of crafting effective questions to optimize the output of generative AI tools. Participants will collaborate in small groups to design and test prompts, learning techniques to improve the quality and accuracy of chatbot responses.

According to the course materials, prompt engineering involves asking detailed, contextualized questions using various approaches. Attendees will also learn safety practices, such as avoiding the use of personally identifiable information, and will be encouraged to treat AI-generated content as a starting point to be refined by human input.

The workshop is based on materials created by the Office of Operational Strategic Initiatives at UC San Diego. There are no tests or assessments associated with the session.

The event is free and open to the public. Visit mcldaz.orgfor more information and to register.