Free guides

AI Made Simple

Short, plain-English guides to AI: what it is, what it's good for, and how to spot the new scams. Written by Ross Hayes of James Hayes Consulting. Free to read and share.

Want it all in one place? The handbook, Getting Started with AI, Safely: 77 pages, 40 prompts and 14 templates, £39.99.

• Still checking for typos? How UK scam advice is adapting to AI Research Paper No. 1. An audit of 146 scam-advice pages from 45 UK banks, regulators, charities, councils, phone networks and delivery firms: how many still teach the clues AI h...
• How many scams now use AI? A model for the UK Victims say AI was involved in fewer than 1 in 500 UK fraud reports, yet AI writes more than half of all spam. An open model of UK scam data suggests the real figure is about on...
• How criminals are using AI: inside the new scam playbook Deepfake celebrity adverts, cloned voices, fake bosses on video calls and AI-written phishing. Nine ways criminals are using AI, drawn from police data, bank reports and researc...
• What does Britain really know about AI? What the 2026 evidence shows Six in ten UK adults now use generative AI, but far fewer understand it, and confidence often runs ahead of ability. What the biggest surveys of 2025 and 2026 reveal, age by age.
• The family safe word: a simple way to check who's really calling AI can now copy a relative's voice. A family safe word costs nothing and gives you a quick way to check who's really on the phone. Here's how to set one up.
• Seven everyday things AI can help with (that aren't scary) Ordinary, useful jobs AI does well: confusing letters, tricky emails, dinner ideas, days out and spotting scams.
• How to help an older parent get started with technology, without the frustration Seven ways to make tech help stick, from letting them hold the phone to setting up the safety features while you're there.
• AI for small business owners who don't like computers You don't need to be technical to put AI to work. Five jobs AI does well for small firms, what it costs, and how to start safely.
• Is ChatGPT safe to use? Ten straight answers Plain answers to the questions people ask most about ChatGPT and other AI apps, from privacy to scams.
• Gift ideas for parents who have everything: the gift of confidence Stuck for a present for a parent or grandparent who says they need nothing? Eight thoughtful ideas, from photo frames to a one-to-one AI lesson at home.
• AI voice-cloning scams: how they work and how to protect your family Criminals can now copy a relative's voice. Here's how the scam works, and the free “safe word” habit that helps you check who's really calling.
• What is AI? A plain-English guide for people who've never used it What AI actually is, what it's good for, and what to watch out for, with no jargon.