AI Essentials: Fundamentals, Applications, and Responsible Use

Together with hessian.AI we offer three half day workshops related to coding and AI. Participants of these workshops will learn the fundamentals of deep learning, get practical insights into prompt engineering using meeting transcripts and get a glimpse on AI agents. These workshops are designed for researchers who already have basic coding experience (e.g., in Python or R) and want to apply AI tools in their research workflow. Please note: As part of the HeFDI Code School, our Expert tracks are tailored specifically for researchers building up their programming skills alongside their domain research, not for professional software developers or computer scientists.

In this introductory workshop, we will demystify Artificial Intelligence and build a clear, foundational understanding of modern AI technologies. You will explore key domains like Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Generative AI, and Natural Language Processing, while identifying practical use cases and evaluating real-world opportunities, limitations, and risks.

Through interactive discussions and practical examples, you will learn how AI models operate and why data, context, and human oversight remain critical for success. By the end of the session, you will be able to realistically assess AI’s potential for your own projects while navigating central ethical considerations and potential pitfalls responsibly.

Your Benefits

• Gain an understanding of what Artificial Intelligence is and what it is not.
• Learn to distinguish between key domains: Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Generative AI, and Natural Language Processing.
• Explore practical use cases of AI across different domains.
• Understand how modern AI models operate and why data, context, and human oversight are critical for success.
• Realistically evaluate the opportunities AI offers you.
• Identify central limitations and risks of AI including malpractice.

Instructor

The instructor is Florian Kieser, Head of AI Service Center (hessian.AI).

Language

Workshops will be held in English.

Prerequisites

No technical prior knowledge required. General interest in digital technologies and openness to practical examples are helpful.

Registration

You can register for this workshop and the other workshops of this Expert Track under the following link: https://redcap.kks.uni-marburg.de/surveys/?s=M8CC7REP3D333HC7.

Publications

TBA