AI in students' everyday work: Practical uses presented at YSU

During the session, participants saw how AI tools can be used to work with files and data, speed up everyday tasks, organize large volumes of information, and process existing material. They were also shown how well-formulated prompts can produce more targeted results.

Gor Grigoryan, Staff Software Engineer at ServiceTitan and AI Practice Lead at Armenian Code Academy, said the main purpose of the session was not simply to provide information about AI, but to show students what they can already do with the tools available today.

"The main idea is for people to understand what tools are available now and how easily they can use them for their own needs," Grigoryan said.

According to Grigoryan, the topic of the session was chosen in light of recent developments in AI tools and the growing range of ways they can be used.

"We will try to present different tools through practical examples and show people that AI is easy to understand and start using," he said.

In this context, Grigoryan highlighted the capabilities of the Claude, particularly Claude Code, stressing that it is important not only to know what tools are available, but also to understand how to use them properly.

"If you and I are using the same ChatGPT interface, why does the tool give you better results than it gives me? Today, we will try to answer that question by showing how different people can use the same tool with different levels of effectiveness," Grigoryan said.

Participants were also introduced to practical ways of using AI more effectively. In the case of Claude Code, for example, its use is not limited to writing code: the tool can also automate everyday and repetitive tasks.

"If you have any repetitive work in your daily routine, it can be automated. It can be used for a wide range of tasks, from learning about a topic and completing work to creating a product and developing an idea. The possibilities are truly extensive, and it is important to understand how to use these tools and what to use them for," he said. 

At the end of the session, participants asked the speaker questions, shared their own experiences with AI tools, and discussed how they could be used for various educational and work-related tasks. Students' questions and discussions focused mainly on using AI effectively, formulating prompts correctly, automating everyday tasks, and the capabilities of new tools.

The student session at YSU also continued earlier cooperation between the university and ACA. ACA had previously organized a training program for university lecturers, during which about 15 to 20 lecturers received training in the use of AI tools. According to Grigoryan, over the course of ten sessions, the lecturers developed final projects using artificial intelligence tools for various educational and work-related tasks.

The session organized as part of the AI on Campus-YSU initiative was another collaborative initiative between YSU and ACA, this time focused on presenting practical uses of AI tools to students.