ChatGPT 101

Most AI training teaches you commands. Together we will explore the power of patterns that turn AI from a generic tool into a practical partner. This 3-hour session helps utility professionals recognize where AI can amplify your expertise while respecting the sector’s need for accuracy and security. You’ll leave with prompts you can use immediately and a framework for building better ones as your work evolves.

in partnership with

Welcome to MEARIE’s ChatGPT 101

We are looking forward to learning with you. This course follows the same pattern recognition methodology we use with leadership teams. We will practice three types of thinking: See (gathering information), Think (analyzing context), and Co-Create (building solutions together). For this hands on course, this page and your ChatGPT account will serve as our virtual workbook. Thank you for reading Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 closely BEFORE our session. The survey in section 3 will be open until noon on Thursday July 24/25.

1. Session Login

Friday July 25, 2025

Hosted by Curt Hammond, Service Champion, Four Simple Words and Sky Hammond, VP of Digital Marketing at Pearl Street Communications. 

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85029396752?pwd=CTUeIrEiaaGrQWAIBA1NURcEQDtWCa.1

Meeting ID: 850 2939 6752
Passcode: 971421

2. Day Of Requirements

Participants will need:

  • A computer with a keyboard and mouse and a stable/fast internet connection. This course has not been designed for or tested on mobile platforms.
  • A working ChatGPT account. Curt and Sky will be using the paid version called Plus. Participants can participate in most of the exercises with the free version. Participants must have access to their account BEFORE the course starts. 
  • Access to samples of your writing (such as longer emails, position papers, or work plans) from which you can cut and paste copy.
  • A list of 2 or 3 work-related projects you would like to explore with ChatGPT. These could be reports you need to write, brainstorming you want to do around an opportunity or research for a new policy you wish to create. Pick 1 or 2 specific tasks that have been on your to-do list for a while.

3. Participant Survey

Please fill this in by noon on July 24/25

We want to build a library of stories about service. This is an opportunity to celebrate when someone was of service to you, reflect on a time you saw someone embracing service or when you stepped into your own Service Leadership.

Name(Required)
Tell us about your service story. Some prompts to get you started. What created the need for this act of service? How would you describe this specific example of service? How would you describe the relationship between those involved? Was there a clear beginning, middle and end to this act of service?
Consent(Required)
Lets maybe talk more?
Accepted file types: mp4, mov, Max. file size: 256 MB.

4. Pre Session Learning

Please take time to read/watch these materials before our session starts.

One

Read this article from UtilityDive about AI in the Utility industry. Note: There are six articles on this page. While you are welcome to read them all, we invite you to read the first called Utility2.0. Questions to reflect on:

  • What data sets at your utility would you like to revisit with AI?
  • Which part of your operations might be easiest/safest to explore with AI?

Two

Read this blog post from Microsoft about its work in the utility industry. Look at the reference to the OPG! Have you seen their AI tool action? If so we would love to hear your thoughts. Questions to reflect on:

  • What would a ChatOPG look like for your team?
  • How could you leverage Co-Pilot (a Microsoft product built around ChatGPT) with your staff? Customers? 

Three

Read this CNN article about AI and energy usage. Questions to reflect on

  • Is your LCD thinking about AI and energy consumption?
  • Do you think this increased usage may impact your company?

Other Learning

These suggestions are shared as an FYI only and are NOT required reading.

How we prompt (or communicate) with AI has changed over the past year. This article is a reminder of the importance of different types of prompting.

AskEllyn.ai (a conversational AI in the voice of Ellyn Winters-Robinson a breast cancer survivor) is the future of interactive AI chats. If you have anyone in your world going through breast cancer this is a powerful tool to share with them. It also models what authentic and values-driven AI interactions can look like. Learn more about the HR focused conversational AI we are in the process of building here.

This story has some interesting background and insights on the PodCast AI For Humans.

Wired Magazine is awesome for many reasons including its great coverage of AI. Their October 2023 edition was dedicated to AI and has a deep-dive interview with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.

If you want a daily update on all things AI, we enjoy and learn a lot from the daily SuperHuman.ai newsletter. Check out their content here.

We are also enjoying the TED AI show that started in late May. The May 28 episode that did a deep dive on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also is a good discussion on how governments, businesses and NGO’s need to collaborate around the regulation of AI.

5. Practicing Our Prompting

Please have this tab open and accessible during this course. We will copy the prompts below and paste them into ChatGPT.

Prompting Questions