Exploratory Dialogue with Artificial Intelligence

• AI tends to respond more creatively when students use powerful language in their prompts. For example: “Is that really your best answer? Can’t you come up with something a bit more original – ideally something we wouldn’t have thought of ourselves?” Students can use this approach when the chatbot gives boring or predictable answers. Remind them not to use the same tone or phrasing with classmates or others.
• The dialogue may feel more natural if students use an audio-based chatbot rather than a written one.
• Let students experiment with different ways of asking questions – for example, by turning their prompt into a role-play scenario: “Imagine you’re an expert in this field – how would you suggest solving this problem?”
• You might divide students into pairs: one student interacts with the AI, while the other observes and notes which questions produced the most interesting responses. They can switch roles halfway through.
• Consider ending the activity with a class discussion about when the AI gives useful answers and when it fails or produces poor results. This helps students develop a critical approach to using AI.

Example Prompt Sequence

Prompt 1: Can you come up with a new way to experience a city that isn’t a standard guided tour, audio guide, or tourist bus?
Chatbot: An interactive treasure hunt where you receive clues via your phone and solve small puzzles to discover hidden spots around the city.

Prompt 2: Exciting! But we’d like people to experience the city with all their senses – not just sight.
Chatbot: A sensory tour where you receive a special box with scents, tastes, and textures from places around the city, so you can explore through multiple senses.

Prompt 3: Great! But we’d also like people to meet locals in a natural way.
Chatbot: What if you became a “temporary local”? An app could pair you with a resident who shows you their favourite spots and gives you a task, such as cooking together or trying a local craft.