Think of AI as a helpful assistant
It can help you get started, practise questions, or make difficult wording easier to understand.
For complete beginners
A gentle introduction to using AI
For people unfamiliar with AI and Experts by Experience who have no experience of using AI at all.
This site explains what AI is, what it might help with, and how to stay safe. It uses plain English and everyday examples.
Important first note
This is not an official health, care, university or public service website and it does not give medical advice. AI can help with words, questions and summaries. It should not replace a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, social worker, advocate, emergency service, or trusted professional.
If something is urgent, serious, personal, legal, financial or about someone's health, use the normal trusted route. Do not rely on AI alone.
Start here
What is AI?
AI stands for artificial intelligence. In this site, it means a computer tool that can respond to words you type or speak.
You can ask it to explain something, make wording clearer, suggest questions, or help organise notes. It can sound very confident, but it can still be wrong.
Do not treat AI as an expert
It is not a doctor, public service decision maker, benefits adviser, lawyer, or official source of truth.
University access
What is Microsoft 365 Copilot?
Many people working with a university may be given access to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat through their university account. Some people call this Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, or Copilot 365. It is an AI chat tool connected to Microsoft 365. You may see it in a browser, in the Microsoft 365 app, or through services such as Word, Outlook, Teams or Edge, depending on what your university provides.
Use your work or school account, not a personal account, when you are doing university-related work. The exact features, privacy settings and access rules depend on the university licence and local IT settings.
What it can help with
Copilot can help explain text, draft questions, summarise public information, organise notes, or make wording clearer.
Why university access may be safer
Microsoft says Copilot Chat provides enterprise data protection when you sign in with a work or school account, and that prompts and responses are not used to train foundation models.
What to check first
Your university may log use, apply its own policies, or restrict some features. Check local guidance before entering meeting papers, research material, personal data or service-related information.
A careful first Copilot prompt
Copy and adapt: I am new to using AI. Explain what Microsoft 365 Copilot can help me do in plain English. Do not ask me to share private, medical, confidential or personal information.
Microsoft guidance changes over time. For current details, see Microsoft's pages on Copilot Chat data protection for work or school and how Copilot Chat works with different licences.
Everyday uses
What AI may help with
Make wording easier
Ask AI to explain a public leaflet, meeting agenda, or general information in simpler words.
Prepare questions
Ask it to suggest questions you might want to ask at a meeting or appointment.
Organise notes
Ask it to turn your own rough notes into a clearer list, while keeping your meaning.
Practise confidence
Ask it to help you rehearse what you want to say before a meeting, call, or group discussion.
Safety first
What not to share with AI
If you are using a public AI tool, do not put in private information. If in doubt, leave it out.
Do not upload
- Your health or care number, address, date of birth, phone number or email address.
- Medical letters, appointment letters, test results, prescriptions or care plans.
- Information about another person, including family members or other patients.
- Confidential meeting papers, complaints, safeguarding information, or unpublished reports.
- Financial details, passwords, identity documents, or anything you would not put on a public noticeboard.
Safer things to try
- Use made-up examples for practice.
- Remove names, dates, places and personal details.
- Ask general questions, not personal medical questions.
- Use public information rather than private documents.
- Ask a trusted person if you are unsure.
Limits
What AI should not do
| Do not use AI for | Use this instead |
|---|---|
| Diagnosis, treatment decisions, medication changes, or urgent symptoms. | Use the relevant health service, your GP, pharmacist, urgent help line, emergency services, or another trusted professional. |
| Benefits, legal, housing, safeguarding or financial decisions. | Use a qualified adviser, advocate, official service, or trusted organisation. |
| Checking whether a private health, care or service document is correct. | Ask the team, service, patient advice route, or named contact on the document. |
| Replacing your own lived experience or voice. | Use AI only to help organise words. You decide what matters and what should be said. |
First practice
Try AI without sharing private information
Choose a low-risk question
Start with something general, not personal. For example, ask it to explain a common word or help make a sentence clearer.
Read the answer slowly
AI may sound certain even when it is wrong. Treat the answer as a draft or suggestion.
Check anything important
If the answer affects health, money, rights, care, safety or someone's wellbeing, check with a trusted human or official source.
Safe first prompts to copy
Explain this phrase in plain English: "digital appointment letter".
Give me five questions I could ask at a community meeting about transport.
Make this sentence easier to read: "The meeting will consider feedback from local people."
Help me make a short list from these notes. Do not add new information.
Lived experience
For Experts by Experience
Experts by Experience bring knowledge from real life. AI must not replace that knowledge. It can sometimes help you prepare, organise or phrase what you already want to say.
Before a meeting
Ask AI to turn a public agenda into simpler questions, or help you make a short speaking plan.
During preparation
Use it to organise your notes into themes such as access, dignity, communication, waiting, or support.
After a meeting
Use it to help draft a personal reflection or list follow-up questions, without adding things you did not say.
Keep your voice
Ask AI to make wording clearer, not to make your experience sound like someone else's report.
Before trusting an answer
A simple checking list
- Is this about health, care, money, rights or safety? If yes, check with a trusted person or official source.
- Did I share any private information? If yes, stop and ask for help.
- Can I check the answer somewhere reliable? If not, do not rely on it.
- Does the answer sound too certain? Ask, "What might be missing or wrong?"
- Does it still sound like me? If not, change it back into your own words.