AI Workshops and Events
The OIT AI team has curated variety of AI scheduled workshops and collaborative converstion-style sessions throughout the semester to help you apply new skills and gain personal insight and understanding in this dynamic new arena of artificial intelligence. Workshops are open to students, faculty, and staff, with select classes designed with specific audiences in mind. Workshops are delivered primarily online via Teams or Zoom, with any in-person clearly noted.
Request a Session or Consultation
If you don’t see a time that works for you or your group, you can contact the OIT HelpDesk online to inquire about scheduling training for a group or ask for a one-on-one consultation.
Please submit a request online to the AI team.
Meet the OIT AI Specialists




Fall 2025 AI Workshops and Events
About the series: UT Verse AI Assistant is a chat-based, AI-powered platform specific to the University of Tennessee faculty, staff, and students. It is UT’s generative AI chat, where you can have AI conversations about topics geared toward the university community, instruction, business, and research.
Duration: Each session in this series is 1 hour.
View the UT Verse Series.
Learn more about UT Verse.
Overview of UT Verse
Join us for an engaging and informative workshop designed to help you master the essentials of UT Verse. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to enhance your skills, this workshop will provide you with the knowledge and tools to navigate and utilize UT Verse effectively.
Register
Writing Effective Prompts that Get Results
Have you ever wondered why your Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool doesn’t understand your request? Crafting an effective prompt is the key to harnessing AI’s power and having UT Verse provide the information you need. Think of prompts as the questions or commands we give to AI. The better our prompts, the more accurate and useful the AI’s responses will be. It’s like having a conversation with a highly intelligent assistant—clear, precise questions lead to clear, concise answers.
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Working with Documents
Get an overview of the many different ways that UT Verse can help you with documents. From uploading to outlining, we’ll look a five different ways that AI can help you with documents.
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Introduction to Smart Prompts
Writing AI prompts can be challenging. UT Verse now has the ability to guide you through the process, making sure you get the best prompt possible.
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Introduction to Smart Assistant
Learn about creating an AI assistant using the new Smart Assistant creator inside of UT Verse.
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About this topic: Microsoft Copilot is like having a super-smart buddy built right into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook! Imagine writing emails faster, making better presentations, and analyzing data like a pro, all with a little AI help. Let’s dive in and see how Copilot can make your Microsoft life way easier!
Learn more about Microsoft Copilot.
AI: Introduction to Copilot
Learn about Copilot, both the free and paid versions, and how it can help you in your job.
Duration: 1 hour
Register
About the series: Come curious, leave connected. These relaxed, come-as-you-are conversations center around the big and small questions we have about generative AI. Each session starts with a theme—a firestarter—and then flows freely based on who’s there and what matters most. There are no slides, no pressure, and no expertise required—just a digital fire, some good company, and space to wonder together. Sometimes we play a fire video. Sometimes we just talk. Sometimes we just listen.
Duration: Each session is scheduled for 2 hours, with drop-ins welcome any time.
Can’t wait? Start an online AI discussion at the AI Lab here: https://tiny.utk.edu/AILab
View the AI Fireside Chat Series.
Assignments, Plagiarism, Trust, & Classroom Culture
Description: AI in teaching, assignment design, AI-written essays, academic honesty, building trust with students, cultural shifts, new norms, creative assessments.
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Environment, Energy, and Our Digital Footprint
Description: AI’s environmental impact, data centers, water use, electricity, sustainability, low-energy alternatives, ethical tech use, and eco-responsibility.
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Looking Ahead—Hope, Harm, and the Human Future
Description: AI and the future, utopia/dystopia fears, jobs, creativity, authenticity, collective wisdom, rehumanizing tech, making peace with change.
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Therapy, Companionship, and Emotional AI
Description: AI and mental health, talking to bots, AI girlfriends/boyfriends, loneliness, journaling with ChatGPT, self-reflection, vulnerability, boundaries, sacredness.
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About this series: Think of these workshops as a guided tour through the AI wilderness: we’ll explore the emotional blocks, ethical crossroads, and creative breakthroughs that define a human-centered approach to AI.
View the AI Alchemy series.
Beyond Prompting Masterclass
Description: What if you could shape AI into a tool that truly thinks with you—not just for you?
In this immersive, half-day hands-on master class, you’ll go far beyond prompt lists and templates. We’ll begin by exploring the real blocks to using AI well—psychological fears, ethical concerns, and the cultural myths that keep us stuck. Then, through storytelling, demo sessions, and interactive coaching, you’ll practice the six transformative skills of AI alchemy.
Duration: 4 hours
Register
The Speed Run Edition—4 Hours of Transformation in 60 Minutes
Description: Ready, set, transform. In this fast-paced, high-energy training, we’ll sprint through the essential moments of the AI Alchemy: Beyond Prompting Masterclass, our half-day workshop, compressed into just one unforgettable hour.
Register
AI: Sensei with Photoshop and Acrobat
Take an hour to learn about the many different AI tools within Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat.
Duration: 1 hour
Register
| Date | Time | Topic | Primary Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jan 2025 | 9:30am-10:30am | UT Verse: An Introduction to UT’s Artificial Intelligence | Steve Chastain |
| 15 Jan 2025 | 9:30am–10:30am | UT Verse: The Basics of Effective Prompt Writing for UT Verse AI | Steve Chastain |
| 3 Feb 2025 | 10:05am-11:05am | Microsoft Loop: Introduction | Steve Chastain |
| 4 Feb 2025 | 9:40am-11:10am | UT Verse: Deep Dive with AI Assistants | Mark Greig |
| 5 Feb 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 12 Feb 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 17 Feb 2025 | 9:30am-10:30am | UT Verse: An Introduction to UT’s Artificial Intelligence | Steve Chastain |
| 19 Feb 2025 | 2:00pm – 4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 20 Feb 2025 | 9:30am-10:30 am | UT Verse: The Basics of Effective Prompt Writing for UT Verse AI | Steve Chastain |
| 25 Feb 2025 | 9:40am – 11:10am | UT Verse: Accessibility Features and Functions | Mark Greig |
| 26 Feb 2025 | 2:00pm – 4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 3 Mar 2025 | 10:05am-11:05am | Microsoft Loop: Introduction | Steve Chastain |
| 5 Mar 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 12 Mar 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 14 Mar 2025 | 9:30am-10:30am | UT Verse: An Introduction to UT’s Artificial Intelligence | Steve Chastain |
| 26 Mar 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 27 Mar 2025 | 9:30am-10:30 am | UT Verse: The Basics of Effective Prompt Writing for UT Verse AI | Steve Chastain |
| 2 Apr 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 9 Apr 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 16 Apr 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 23 Apr 2025 | 2:00pm-4:00pm | Artificial Intelligence (AI): Explanations and Demonstrations | Mikhael Loo |
| 24 Apr 2025 | 9:40am-11:10am | UT Verse: Deep Dive with AI Assistants (Encore) | Mark Greig |
| To register, visit the Workshop Page. |
Events Calendar – 2025
| Date | Time | Topic | Presenters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Jan 2025 | 10:45am-11:30am | Unlocking the Full Potential of UT Verse AI Assistant at the UT IT Symposium 2025 | Mark Greig and Alex Trowbridge |
| 29 Jan 2025 | 1:15pm-2:00pm | The Prompt Whisperer: Secrets to Effective UT Verse Communication at the UT IT Symposium 2025 | Steve Chastain |
| 4 Apr 2025 | 10:30am-12:30pm | Workshop Demonstrations at the AI in the Humanities and Social Sciences: Ethics, Practice, and Pedagogies Conference | Mark Greig |
| Date | Time | Topic | Presenters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30-Jan-2024 | 9:45am – 10:30am | UT Verse: Accessibility in AI – 2024 IT Symposium | Mark Greig & Alex Trowbridge |
| 30-Jan-2024 | 10:45am – 11:30am | UT Verse: Live Demonstrations and Use Cases – 2024 IT Symposium | Mark Greig & Alex Trowbridge |
| Feb-2024 | 3:00pm – 4:00pm | Microsoft Open Hours Presentation: UT Verse | Mark Greig |
| Mar-2024 | 3:00pm – 4:00pm | Microsoft Ability Summit: Making AI Accessible with UT Verse | Mark Greig |
| Mar-2024 | 9:00am – 12:00pm | Thoughtful Teaching in AI (Week-long Workshops) | Mark Greig |
| 12-Jun-2024 | 10:00am | UT Verse & Copilot Demonstrations – UT AI Symposium 2024 | Mark Greig |
| 22-Oct-2024 | 9:30 am – 10:30 am | UT Verse AI Assistant at the Microsoft Theater – EDUCAUSE ’24 | Mark Greig |
| 22-Oct-2024 | 11:30am – 12:15pm | Navigating GenAI in Higher Education: The Power of Possible – Microsoft Panel at EDUCAUSE ’24 | Mark Greig |
| 23-Oct-2025 | 9:30pm – 10:30pm | UT Verse AI Assistant (Recap) at the Microsoft Theater – EDUCAUSE ’24 | Mark Greig |
| 24-Oct-2025 | 8:30am – 9:15am | Unlocking Inclusion: Harnessing AI for Accessibility | Mark Greig & Alex Trowbridge |
| 6-Dec-2024 | 8:30am – 9:00am | Leaders in AI for Education Panel at the Reimagine Education: Partner Edition (Seattle, WA) | Mark Greig |

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