AI Literacy 101

Artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms how we work, learn, and make decisions—but most users interact with AI systems without a clear understanding of how they function, where they fail, or how to use them responsibly. This one-hour AI literacy session provides a clear, non-technical introduction to modern AI, with a focus on generative AI tools such as large language models.

Participants will learn what AI can and cannot do, how AI systems learn from data, and why issues such as bias, hallucinations, and over-reliance can arise. Through practical examples and live demonstrations, the session will highlight effective ways to interact with AI, evaluate AI-generated outputs, and recognize when human judgment and verification are essential. The session also introduces core principles of responsible and trustworthy AI use, including privacy awareness, accountability, and human-in-the-loop decision making.

This presentation will be given by Dongxiao Zhu, Professor of Computer Science at Wayne State University. Professor Zhu is the Founding Director of the Wayne AI Research Initiative, and Co-Director of the Institute for AI and Data Science.