Try Out Your First Generative AI Tool

1. Common Generative AI Tools

Several AI tools are available to the public. Each has the same basic idea - you type or speak a prompt, and the tool generates a response - but they have different strengths.

• ChatGPT (created by OpenAI) is one of the best-known AI chatbots. It was also the first Chatbot powered by breakthrough AI discoveries to be available to users widely.
• Gemini (created by Google) is designed to connect with Google tools you may already use.
• Copilot (built into Microsoft products) works inside Word, Excel, and other apps to help with writing, organizing, and analyzing data.

Walmart is also building AI tools that are designed just for associates. For example, “My Assistant” can help store teams with scheduling, answering policy questions, or planning tasks. These custom tools use the same AI technology as public chatbots, but they are trained with Walmart-specific knowledge.

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2. Review: Prompts

Recall that every generative AI tool starts with a prompt. A prompt is your input (what you type or say to the chatbot). For example, you might prompt the chatbot to “Write a polite message to a customer letting them know their order is ready.” The chatbot would respond by suggesting a ready-to-send message.

try it

Look at the exchange below and identify which part is the prompt.

Click here to see the answer.

The prompt is the associate’s request: “List three ways I could save time when stocking shelves.”

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3. Try an AI Tool for Yourself

The best way to learn about chatbots and what they can do is to try it yourself. Later in the course, you will learn a variety of prompting techniques designed to get you the output you want for different situations or audiences. For now, just try prompting a chatbot to see what happens. There isn’t a single “right” way to do it. Prompts can be anything you ask, and experimenting is how you discover what works best.

try it

1. Go to chat.openai.com and create a free ChatGPT account if you don’t already have one. All you need is an email address. Or, download the free ChatGPT app on your mobile device.
2. Once you're in, type a simple prompt, such as: “Write a thank-you note to a coworker who helped me finish a shift.”
3. Explore on your own: Ask the chatbot to write something, explain a topic, or suggest ideas. Feel free to try more than one thing. You can be as creative as you want. Have fun with it! ChatGPT can also create images, so go ahead and try that too!

After you’ve tried prompting the chatbot, come back here to reflect on what you just did.

reflect

Think about the first few things you asked the AI. Which of these is closest to your choice? You can choose multiple options.

I asked it to do something really difficult or unusual.

That’s a great way to test the limits of the tool. Many people are curious to see if AI can handle complex or creative challenges.

I asked it a question I might normally type into Google.

Yes! A lot of people are now replacing search engines with AI chatbots because they want answers in plain language instead of a list of links.

I asked it to write or re-write something for me, like a note or message.

Smart move. Using AI to help with writing is one of the most common ways people are saving time at work and in daily life.

I asked it to explain something I didn’t understand.

Excellent. Many learners use AI as a “study buddy” or coach to break down tough concepts in simple words.

big idea

There isn’t one “right” way to use an AI tool. Everyone starts in a different place, and each prompt helps you learn what is possible.