Lunch Talks GenAI at Faculty of Science

10 February 2026 | Personas

Advanced chatbot building in UvA AI Chat and how to use them for education 

This lunch session introduces educators to the next level of working with UvA AI Chat through persona-based chatbot design. Participants will learn how to build and customize AI personas that can reliably perform specific tasks, support classroom activities, or simulate expert roles. The session will discuss different types of chatbots (task, discussion, and information retrieval bots), design principles, common pitfalls, and live examples of how personas can enhance teaching, learning, and research workflows.  

Learning goals 

1. Understand what standard prompts and personas are, how they differ from basic GenAI use, and when each is appropriate;
2. Explain why well-designed personas are valuable, and distinguish between the main types (task, discussion, information retrieval);
3. Know the design strategy for a simple persona, including using AI “cheat codes” to accelerate development;
4. Recognize pitfalls and limitations in persona design and know how to avoid them;
5. Evaluate how and by whom personas can be created and used (individually, co-created, made by students), and clarify the difference between personal and classroom use.

10 March 2026 |AI in the classroom

An overview of AI learning activities in the classroom including what works and what does not.

This lunch session aims to help equip university educators with practical knowledge and skills to start integrating AI into their classroom activities. The session will cover innovative and advanced learning activities that utilize AI, focusing on encouraging effective learning. The session will provide practical examples and research insights into the impact of AI on education as well as opportunities for discussion and sharing. 

Learning goals

1. Get to know effective examples of innovative/advanced learning activities with AI in class; 
2. Discuss practical strategies for implementing and making effective use of AI in class; 
3. Be aware of current research in the field on the integration of AI in the classroom. 

7 April 2026 | Smarter or dependent?

Theory and evidence on the Effects of GenAI use on learning and cognition

AI is changing how students learn — sometimes for the better, sometimes not. In this lunch talk, we will explore how genAI shapes learning processes and cognition more generally. We’ll look at relevant theories of cognition to frame the challenge of AI in education and we will discuss recent empirical research on using AI in higher education. This talk will help you see when AI supports learning, when it undermines it, and how we can steer students toward using AI in ways that actually build their skills. 

Learning goals

1. Be able to explain how AI can both enhance and hinder learning through processes of deskilling, offloading, and cognitive scaffolding; 
2. Recognize how student characteristics, task design, and AI tool features shape learning outcomes when AI is introduced;
3. Understand the challenges of AI and learning on the basis relevant theoretical frameworks and recent empirical research;
4. Develop a sense for what is needed to integrate AI in education such that we safeguard the development of essential academic skills.

19 May 2026 | Collaborating with GenAI: Artifacts

How to get the most out of using Artifacts in UvA AI Chat (e.g. for Time Savers) 

This lunch session aims to educate participants on the use of artifacts within UvA AI Chat. By the end of the session, educators will understand what artifacts are and how to use them effectively within UvA AI Chat. The session will cover basic to expert progression, provide practical examples, and include a roadmap of upcoming UvA AI Chat features. 

Learning goals

1. Understand artifacts and their use in collaborating with generative AI;
2. Recognize the added benefit of artifacts, when to use them and when not; 
3. Know how to effectively use UvA AI Chat to create artifacts.

Registration

Register here

The GenAI Living Lab team contributes to these sessions with the aim of improving AI literacy among the academics and to actively involve students and staff it in the development and application of GenAI in education at the University of Amsterdam.