Making a Presentation with AI: 5 Smart Steps, Easy and Safe

Making a presentation with AI can save you a lot of time. You have a meeting tomorrow, a client pitch or a quarterly update, and you are staring at a blank screen. With the right approach, you can have a usable first draft in no time.

This article shows how making a presentation with AI works, which tools you can use and what to watch out for.

How does making a presentation with AI work?

You give an AI tool a topic or a document, and the tool builds slides, text and layout from it. Then you adjust everything the way you want.

Such a tool uses a language model. That is an AI that predicts text based on huge numbers of examples. It writes fluently, but it does not automatically know what is true in your company.

That is why you stay in charge. AI delivers the first draft, you deliver the core of the story. You decide what goes in, what stays out and what your audience should remember.

Which tools do you use to make a presentation with AI?

For making a presentation with AI, you can choose from three types: the AI built into programs you already know, standalone AI presentation tools and an ordinary chatbot for the text. Start with what your employer already has.

• Copilot in PowerPoint: on its support page, Microsoft describes how to have a new presentation created from a prompt or an existing document. You may need a Copilot licence for this, so check with your employer.
• Gemini in Google Slides: in an overview, Computerworld explains how Gemini helps with slides, images and text. Which features you get depends on your subscription.
• Standalone tools such as Gamma: you type an idea and get a complete presentation. Handy, but you share your data with an extra provider.
• ChatGPT or Claude: you have the chatbot write a slide-by-slide outline and paste it into PowerPoint yourself. It is more work, but you keep control.

Prices and features change often. So always check the provider’s website to see what is included in your plan.

Making a presentation with AI in 5 steps

You get the best result if you think first and only then open the tool. Follow these five steps.

1. Decide your goal and audience. Write down in one sentence what your audience should think or do afterwards. For example: the team approves the budget.
2. Let AI create an outline. Ask for a storyline with a number of slides, with a key message for each slide. Adjust this outline before you build the slides.
3. Add your own input. Provide figures, examples and an existing report. That way the presentation sounds like your company.
4. Let it generate the slides. Choose a style and let the tool do the layout. Ask for little text per slide.
5. Check and practise. Read every slide critically and practise out loud. Remove anything you cannot explain.

Do you want to get better at writing instructions? Then read what a prompt is and how to get more out of it.

What are the risks of making a presentation with AI?

The biggest risks are incorrect information, sharing confidential data and a presentation that sounds generic. You can limit all three.

AI can make up things that sound convincing. This is called a hallucination. Read how to avoid it in our article on AI hallucinations. Check every figure, every date and every source before you put it on a slide.

Also pay attention to privacy. Do not paste customer data, personnel files or internal figures into a free tool without knowing what happens to them. If in doubt, ask your IT department, and read our rules for using AI safely.

A third risk is that your presentation looks like other presentations. So always add your own example, your own photo or your own experience.

Also look carefully at images and text from the tool. For an external presentation, it is wise to check whether you may use them as they are. If you are unsure about the rules, check with the provider or your organisation.

Smart tips for making a presentation with AI that few people know

Do not use AI only to make slides, but also to test your presentation. That often delivers more than the layout.

• Let AI play the opponent. Ask: what five difficult questions could my audience ask? Prepare your answers.
• Make speaker notes. Let AI write a short text for each slide that you can say out loud, and rewrite it in your own words.
• Start with a document. A report or memo as a source gives a better result than a single sentence.
• Have text shortened. Ask: make this slide half as long and keep only the key message.
• Make a version for your audience. Ask for the same content in simpler language for people without specialist knowledge.

What does a good prompt for a presentation look like?

When making a presentation with AI, a good prompt names your audience, your goal, the length and the tone. The more context you give, the less you have to correct afterwards.

An example: you work for a local council and need to explain to the team in ten minutes why a process has to change. You ask for five slides, simple language and a clear proposal on the last slide. That gives a much more useful result than just the word presentation.

Then keep asking. Say, for example: make slide three more visual, or add an example from healthcare. That way you build towards a final result step by step, just like in a conversation with a colleague.

What do you do if the first version disappoints?

Then adjust your prompt first, not the tool. This applies to every kind of presentation making with AI. Often there is not enough context, or the goal is too vague.

• Is there too much text on a slide? Ask for a maximum of three bullet points of ten words each.
• Does it sound too general? Add your own example or figure.
• Does the style not fit? Describe the tone, for example businesslike but friendly.
• Does it look dull? Use your own house style or photos instead of stock images.

Still not working? Start again with a new chat and a better prompt. That takes a minute and often gives a better result than endless fixing.

With a bit of practice, making a presentation with AI becomes a regular way of working. You will find you have more time left for what matters: your message and your story.

How do you check a presentation that AI has made?

First check the content, then the layout and finally your own story. That way you catch mistakes before your audience sees them.

1. Facts. For every figure, date and name, look up the original source. If you cannot find it, remove the claim.
2. Coherence. Read only the slide titles one after another. Do they tell a logical story together?
3. Language. Watch out for odd sentences, translation errors and words you would never use yourself.
4. Sensitive information. Check whether any names, amounts or internal details have ended up on a slide that are not meant for this audience.
5. Practice run. Present once out loud, preferably to a colleague. You will quickly notice which slide does not flow well.

Allow a few minutes per slide for this check. That may seem like a lot, but it saves you from having to explain during the presentation why a figure is wrong.

Making a presentation with AI: which choice suits you?

Choose the tool that fits where your work documents are already stored. That is usually safer and faster than adding a new tool.

Situation	Useful choice
You work with Microsoft 365	Copilot in PowerPoint, if your licence includes it
You work with Google Workspace	Gemini in Google Slides, if your subscription includes it
You want an attractive design quickly	A standalone tool, without confidential data
You mainly want a good story	A chatbot for the outline and your own program for the slides

Do you work in an organisation? Then see whether there are already agreements in place. If not, our article on drawing up an AI policy can help you put them in writing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a presentation with AI for free?

Yes, with some chatbots and standalone tools you can do it in a free version, often with limitations. Built-in help in PowerPoint or Google Slides often depends on your subscription. Check the current terms with the provider.

Can you tell that a presentation was made with AI?

Often you can, because of generic sentences and standard designs. Add your own examples and images, and it will feel like your story.

May I put company data into an AI tool?

Only if you know how the provider handles data and your organisation allows it. If in doubt, leave out personal data and confidential figures.

How much time do I save with AI?

That differs per presentation and per person. The gain lies mainly in the outline and layout, not in thinking about your message.

Do you want to get more out of AI at work? Start with our guide AI at work: how to start today and then try the prompt above for your next presentation.

• Copilot
• Gemini
• Prompts