TW Tony Wood
Back to First Steps

Lesson 0

We start where we are.

This lesson is finished when we have opened an AI chat and asked one harmless question. That is enough for today.

Do the first step

Today's one thing

We will ask ChatGPT one question.

  1. 1

    Keep this page open.

    We are going to leave this page open so we can come back and tick the box. If you are on a phone, that may mean using the tabs button. If that feels too much today, ask someone to sit with you.

  2. 2

    Open ChatGPT in a new tab.

    Use the button below, or type chat.com into your browser. ChatGPT is the first tool for this course. Claude can wait until later.

    Open ChatGPT in a new tab
  3. 3

    Ask this exact question.

    Where is London?

  4. 4

    Come back here and tick the box.

    If you asked the question, you have done enough for today. If you got stuck, tick the stuck box instead. That still gives us the next clue.

Done when

Tick the smallest true box.

Open wall planner

These ticks are saved on this browser, so they should still be here when you come back.

Support

Listen, enlarge, simplify, or print.

Audio

Listen to lesson 0

Choose an English-accented voice and press play. This is prebuilt AI-generated audio stored with the site, so it does not need to generate a voice each time you visit.

Voice

This audio is AI-generated, not a recording of a real person.

Selected: Female English voice

Course overview

Where Lesson 0 fits.

Next lesson
  1. 0

    We start where we are

    Ask ChatGPT one harmless question, then come back and tick the box.

    You are here
  2. 1

    Ask one safe question

    Use ChatGPT like a friendly search box, then ask one follow-up.

    Open
  3. 2

    Talk instead of type

    Use voice, dictation, or the microphone so typing is not the gatekeeper.

    Open
  4. 3

    Make a shopping helper

    Turn one ordinary shopping list into something organised and useful.

    Open
  5. 4

    Keep things in one place

    Give the work a home so you can come back without starting again.

    Open
  6. 5

    Add rules and budget

    Tell the AI what must happen, what must not happen, and what matters most.

    Open
  7. 6

    Decide what good looks like

    Define words like healthy, tidy, useful, cheap, or safe in your own words.

    Open
  8. 7

    Try it somewhere else

    Use the same method for a room, garden, recipe, safe hobby task, or work shadow example.

    Open

Before you begin

This is not a computer test.

If computers make your stomach drop a little, start there. You are in good company. Lots of people have had years of small bad moments with technology: the file that disappeared, the password that failed, the person who took over and did it too fast.

This course works differently. We do one small thing, on purpose, slowly enough that your hands and your head can catch up. Then we can say, right, I got that bit. What happens if we try the next bit?

Simple version

We only need one thing today. Open an AI chat and ask one safe question. If that happens, we have started.

What you need

Keep the setup simple.

A computer if you have one

A laptop or desktop is best. A phone is fine for watching this page, but the course will gently move you to a bigger screen.

A browser

Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox are all fine. Use whatever is already there.

Paper and pen

Write down what you tried. Do not write down passwords.

Twenty minutes

Set a timer. Stop when it rings, even if you want to do more.

If you get stuck

Write the stuck point down. That gives us the next clue.

If the page looks different, if a button is missing, or if you cannot sign in, do not keep fighting the screen. Write down the exact place you got stuck. That gives your helper something real to work with.

A stuck point is not the end of the lesson. It is a map of where we pick up next time.

My stuck point

I got as far as:

The thing I could not find was:

The person I can ask is:

If people warn you

Some advice is right, but too early.

If someone starts with backups, accounts, privacy, scams, or protection, thank them. Then tell them this is a safe practice step, not a life admin system. We are learning how to begin.

Use this line

I am not putting anything private into it. I am just learning the shape of the tool. When I start storing important things, I will add the right protection.

Open the blockers crib sheet

For helpers

Sit beside them. Do not take over the mouse.

Let the learner do the clicking and typing unless they ask you to demonstrate. If they ask the same thing three times, answer it three times. The aim is not speed. The aim is confidence that belongs to them.

Official links

Use these only when the lesson asks you.

Official link

ChatGPT

chat.com

Start here first. You can often try ChatGPT before creating an account, which makes it the easiest first door. Type a harmless question and see what happens.

Cost: Free to start. ChatGPT Plus is optional and is listed at $20/month on OpenAI's official pricing pages.

Open ChatGPT in a new tab
Later, when we are ready: Claude, desktop apps, and prices

Official link

Claude

claude.ai

Try this later, once ChatGPT feels more familiar, or when you want a second AI to compare answers. You can use the free plan to begin.

Cost: Free to start. Claude Pro is optional and is listed at $20/month in Anthropic's help centre.

Open Claude in a new tab Desktop app Check price

Later

Desktop apps and prices

We do not need these for the first lesson. They are here so the links are easy to find when the course asks for them later.

ChatGPT desktop app ChatGPT price

Simple rule

Type the address yourself or use these links. Do not search for adverts. Do not enter passwords into pages that look odd. If ChatGPT asks you to sign in, use an account you already recognise or ask someone you trust to sit with you. If a page asks for money before you have tried the free version, stop and ask someone you trust.

Prices, plans, and sign-in rules can change. This page was checked against official OpenAI and Anthropic pages on May 5, 2026.