Summary  
This chapter covers designing clear, contextual prompts and handling streamed, interactive request–response exchanges with an AI assistant.  

General domain of usage  
AI conversational interfaces

This lab assumes basic familiarity with modern AI tools and prompting techniques.
If you'd like to improve the quality, consistency, and reliability of your AI workflows, we recommend starting with our [Practical AI for Work](https://codefinity.com/courses/v2/047af91e-6bdf-4aae-947e-5a67b152e7de).

# What is Claude?

**Claude** is an AI assistant made by **Anthropic**.
You ask it something, in plain English, like talking to a colleague — and it answers.

### In Claude AI There's:

* No special syntax;
* No buttons;
* No install.

Just type a sentence and read what comes back.

You'll use Claude through the lab on the right — a **claude cli window**.
Press `Enter` to send your message; the answer **streams in word by word** as Claude thinks.



# How AI Conversations Work

A few things that surprise first-time users:

### 1. It's Not a Search Engine

Don't type keywords:

**marketing AI 2026**



Type a full thought instead:

**How are marketing managers using AI in 2026?**

### 2. The answer streams as it's generated

That ticking text isn't a glitch — it's Claude composing the reply **in real time**.

### 3. Be specific, not formal

**This works better:**
Explain it to me like I'm new

**Than this:**
Provide a comprehensive overview

### 4. It's a conversation, not a single shot

Your next message can build on the previous one:
Now give me three examples I'd find useful in my role

### 5. There are no wrong messages

Worst case — you get a vague answer. Then you just ask again with more detail.

## What we're not covering yet

You don't need to know how AI works internally to use it.
We'll get to tokens, training, and hallucinations later.

For now, the goal is simple: **feel what AI is like through one conversation.**

## Task

Send this message to Claude in the lab on the right:

><b>Explain what you can do, like I'm a manager who's never used AI.
>
>When Claude finishes, ask one follow-up question:
>
>- Give me three examples I'd find useful in my role
>- What's something you can't do well?
>- What's the difference between you and ChatGPT?

Done when you've had a short back-and-forth. 

Nothing to submit — just hit **Next chapter**.


A hands-on, beginner-friendly course designed for non-technical business users to understand and leverage AI tools and concepts in their daily work. The course covers foundational AI concepts, effective communication with AI, practical use of AI-powered tools, and building simple AI assistants.

Introduction to artificial intelligence, large language models, and essential AI vocabulary for business users.

Learn how to communicate effectively with AI systems through prompt engineering and tone selection.

Explore how AI can be integrated with business tools for research, note-taking, and data analysis.

Learn the basics of agent personas and how to build and tune simple AI assistants for work.