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Summer Festival of AI

Join Microsoft Reactor and engage with developers, entrepreneurs, and startups live

Ready to get started with AI and the latest technologies? Microsoft Reactor provides events, training, and community resources to help developers, entrepreneurs and startups build on AI technology and more. Join us!

Summer Festival of AI

Join Microsoft Reactor and engage with developers, entrepreneurs, and startups live

Ready to get started with AI and the latest technologies? Microsoft Reactor provides events, training, and community resources to help developers, entrepreneurs and startups build on AI technology and more. Join us!

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Summer Festival of AI

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

  • Events in this Series:
  • 2

Do you know your context window from your cutoff date? Do you know your shots from your tokens? Are you worried that GenAi (think ChatGPT) is going to steal your job? Do you have FOMO (fear-of-missing-out) about getting the most from using AI effectively?

Then fear not ..... Join us for a Reactor Summer Festival of AI.

We're working with Mike Weston-Burt to lay on a series of webinars to answer all your GenAI questions - and some you don't know you have.

Mike has spent 40 years at Big4 Professional Services firms (think Accenture, KPMG) training over 50,000 staff across 5 continents. Since the ChatGPT moment in autumn 2022, Mike has been training organisations big and small on how to use GenAi models efficiently. Too many of us don't know the key basics and we're using AI very inefficiently. Mike will correct that in his engaging, enthusiastic and entertaining style.

Each course is around 50 minutes of core content and online quizzes and polls. Then Mike will stay on line for 10, 20, 30 minutes to do some live demonstrations and take questions for as long as you wish.

Follow Mike on LinkedIn, he does a weekly post on GenAi Top Tips.

Upcoming Events

Click on an event below to learn more and register for individual events.

All times in - Coordinated Universal Time

Jun

25

Wednesday

2025

102 Effective use of AI (Intermediate prompting)

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (UTC)

Building on the foundations of the 101 session, this intermediate session deepens participants’ understanding by introducing reasoning models that support more sophisticated queries. Learners are guided through the use of Deep Research models for complex investigations and are taught how to use example-based prompting (shots) to achieve better output. The importance of follow-up questions is emphasised to iteratively refine responses. Speech models are introduced, enabling voice interaction with AI, and participants gain hands-on experience with Google Notebook LM and interactive podcasts. Editing capabilities through Canvas modes are also covered. Attendees will develop new prompting styles and learn how to build writing consistency and tone. The session encourages collaboration through tools like Spaces and sharing features, while also offering practice tools such as Google's "Say what you see" technique. Advanced prompting practices—like iteration, handling conflicting personas, and applying self-critique—are explored. The session concludes with a focused look at emerging risks and how to safely navigate them.

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

Details

Jul

16

Wednesday

2025

101 Introduction to using AI effectively (prompt engineering)

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (UTC)

This session introduces the foundational elements of prompting, helping participants understand how to communicate effectively with AI. It covers essential technical concepts such as context windows, cutoff dates, hallucinations, and parameters, offering a clear understanding of how these factors impact outputs. Participants will explore the background of Generative AI and learn best practices for writing prompts that are clear, goal-oriented, and structured for maximum effectiveness. The CREATE model is introduced as a framework for prompt construction, along with the use of personas to enrich interactions. Key tips for working with tools like Copilot are shared, and common prompting mistakes are discussed to help learners avoid them. Attendees are encouraged to treat AI like a smart intern—useful, capable, and guided by human judgment. The session emphasizes three key stages of prompting: preparation, delivery, and refinement, reinforced by the simple and effective 555 Rule. Finally, it addresses the ethical use of AI and how to stay safe when engaging with these tools.

  • Format:
  • alt##LivestreamLivestream

Topic: Core AI

Language: English

Details

Speakers

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For questions please contact us at reactor@microsoft.com