What is the Rethink AI Collaboratory?

A 6-week collaborative lab in which you will conceptualize, build, and test your AI chatbot, including an interface to allow others to use it. The goal is to use AI thoughtfully and ethically to do meaningful work or side projects, rather than replace people or “10x productivity”. 

You will get guidance, advice, and feedback from Dr. Ravit Dotan, an expert in ethical AI, and you will work with the System Prompt Studio, a dedicated chatbot to take you through the building and testing process. The heart of the collaborative lab is experimenting with each other's chatbots. Diverse testing and feedback is essential for building great chatbots. The lab is a rare opportunity to work side by side with people who are able to give you just that. Having said that, you may opt out of group work if you prefer working on your own.

The lab is open to people who have completed the Rethink AI from the Ground up course. You may sign up before you have completed it, but it is required that you go through it at least once before the lab meets for the first time. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and able to provide peer support.

Note: This is a pilot. The content and structure may evolve as we go.

Goals

• Articulate a vision for chatbot that aligns with your values and professional goals

• Build and test your AI chatbot

• Add a user interface to your chatbot, e.g., in ChatGPT or Pickaxe

• Rethink narratives about AI and its impact on your work and industry

Structure

Here is how we will work:

• Cycles - Our main activity will be working in two cycles. Each cycle will include two weeks, one week for building and the other for giving and receiving feedback

• Deadlines - You will have a weekly deadline. Each time, you will either share your own work or give feedback to other people on their work.

• Independent work - You will likely want to work on your chatbot outside of the live sessions on your own. People usually spend between 1-3h a week on their independent work, depending on how much time they want to spend on it.

• Pods - You will be matched into a pod based on what you'd like to build and how you would like to work together (unless you opt out). You will receive a proposed structure for working together, and will decide as a group if you want to adjust. Each pod will have a pod leader to ensure the group is on track.

• Show and tell - You will have opportunities to present your work to everyone. Those who sign up to do this may invite guests to their presentation.

Timeline

We will have a live session every Wednesday, 12-1:30pm ET, between Oct. 8-Nov 13 (6 sessions overall). We will iterate between content and coworking sessions, the coworking sessions will be optional. In addition, independent work in-between sessions is likely to take between 1-3h each week, depending on how much you want to do.

Here is the tentative timeline. It may change based on the needs of the group:

• Week 1, Vision -

  • Independent work - Decide on your vision and workplan

  • Meeting - Ravit will highlight themes examples from people's work, meet and coordinate with your pod

• Week 2, Building -

  • Independent work - Build the first version of your chatbot

  • Meeting - Coworking, sign up to present to the group if you'd like, check-in with your pod

• Week 3, Testing -

  • Independent work - Test someone else's chatbot and get feedback on your own

  • Meeting - Ravit will highlight themes and examples from people's work, check-in with your pod

• Week 4, Building -

  • Independent work - Build the second version of your chatbot, create an interface if you haven't already

  • Meeting - Meeting - Coworking, sign up to present to the group if you'd like, check-in with your pod

• Week 5, Testing -

  • Independent work - Test someone else's chatbot and get feedback on your own

  • Meeting - Ravit will highlight themes and examples from people's work, check-in with your pod

• Week 6, Showcase -

  • Sign up to present your chatbot to the whole group, get feedback from everyone. Invite guests if you are presenting.

Resources

• The System Prompt Studio - You will have access and credits to the System Prompt Studio, the chatbot you will be working with throughout the collaboratory.

• Tutorial - You will have a detailed tutorial to take you through all parts of the independent work

• Newsletter - I will answer more substantive questions through my newsletter. I will add you if you are not subscribed already.

• Hosting your chatbot - If you'd like, I will host your chatbot in Pickaxe, the platform I am using, for the duration of the lab

• 
  

For questions or additional information, please contact me at contact@techbetter.ai