AI Courses
A curated list of external AI courses and certifications, hand-picked to help you build in-demand AI skills.
🦆 Your AI Micro-Credential Duck
In AI-Powered Jobsearch: Getting Your Ducks in a Row, Dr Stephen Hall’s Five Ducks framework names a verifiable AI micro-credential as one of the five artefacts every AI-era job search needs — alongside your resume, workplace culture fluency, LinkedIn and network, and ePortfolio. Every course on this page counts. Pick one, finish it, and check that duck off your list.
Google AI Essentials Specialization
Coursera · Google
- Content: 5-course series, about 4-10 hours total, self-paced.
- Tools used: Google Gemini and everyday generative AI tools.
- Outcome: Build practical AI skills for daily work tasks, plus a shareable Google certificate.
- Note: 7-day free trial, then $49/month via Coursera Plus to complete and certify.
Google AI Professional Certificate
Coursera · Google
- Content: 6 short courses and a capstone project.
- Tools used: Gemini, NotebookLM, and AI Studio.
- Outcome: Build custom AI-powered solutions and earn a certificate trusted by leading employers.
- Bonus: 3 months of no-cost access to Google AI Pro.
AI For Everyone
Coursera · DeepLearning.AI
The essential no-code introduction to AI, taught by Andrew Ng (DeepLearning.AI). Understand what AI can and can’t do, spot opportunities in your own work, and see how AI is reshaping business and society.
AI for Health & Nursing
Coursera · AI CERTs
Built for nurses and healthcare professionals. Learn how AI supports patient monitoring, predictive risk analysis, clinical decision-making, and safer, more efficient care.
AI for Engineering: An Overview
Coursera · MathWorks
A fast, practical primer for engineers. See where AI fits into engineering workflows, from digital twins to reduced-order models, and how to apply it responsibly.
AI Education for Teachers
Coursera · Macquarie University & IBM
Designed by teachers, for teachers. Build the AI literacy you need to teach confidently in an AI-powered classroom and understand how AI actually works.
AI in Finance
Coursera · AI CERTs
Apply AI to real financial workflows: forecasting, risk analysis, fraud detection, and reporting. Updated for 2026, built for working finance professionals.
AI Engineering for IT Professionals
Coursera · IBM
IBM’s hands-on path into AI engineering for developers, IT professionals, and enterprise engineers. Build real machine learning and deep learning skills with Python, TensorFlow, and PyTorch.
Free AI Courses You Can Start Today
Genuinely free AI courses from Harvard, Google, Microsoft, MIT, IBM, HubSpot, MathWorks, and more, grouped by who they are best suited to.
For Everyday Users (No Technical Background Needed)
Elements of AI
Free · University of Helsinki
A friendly, non-technical introduction to what AI is, how it works, and what it means for society and everyday life.
Introduction to Generative AI
Free · Google
A short microlearning course explaining what generative AI is, how it is used, and how it differs from traditional machine learning.
Introducing AI
Free · IBM
A gentle, self-paced primer on AI basics and its impact across industries, designed for complete beginners.
For Office & Business Use
AI for Marketers
Free · HubSpot Academy
Learn to use AI tools for content creation, reporting, and personalising customer experiences in your day-to-day work.
Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT
Free to audit · Vanderbilt University
Learn practical prompt patterns for getting better, more reliable results out of ChatGPT and other AI tools at work.
Microsoft 365 Copilot Use Cases
Free · Microsoft Learn
Real workplace scenarios for using Copilot across sales, marketing, finance, HR, and operations to save time on everyday tasks.
For Engineers (Civil, Mechanical & Electrical)
CS50's Introduction to AI with Python
Free · Harvard University
A rigorous, project-based introduction to AI concepts including search, machine learning, and neural networks using Python.
Machine Learning Crash Course
Free · Google
A fast-paced, hands-on introduction to machine learning fundamentals with real exercises, built for practical engineers.
Get Started with AI Apps and Agents on Azure
Free · Microsoft
Build and deploy AI-powered applications and agents on Azure, covering the core tools engineers use in production.
Introduction to Deep Learning (6.S191)
Free · MIT
MIT lectures and labs on deep learning foundations, from neural networks to state-of-the-art applications.
Practical Deep Learning for Coders
Free · fast.ai
A hands-on course for anyone with some coding experience who wants to apply deep learning to real engineering problems.
MATLAB Onramp
Free · MathWorks
A free, interactive introduction to MATLAB, useful for engineers working with modelling, control systems, and signal processing.
Free AI Courses for Australian TAFE Students
TAFE NSW and TAFE SA both offer free, government-backed AI courses for local students, a great next step if you prefer to learn through an Australian training provider.
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Free · TAFE NSW
A non-technical, 2.5-hour introduction to how AI works and where it is used, built for complete beginners. Free self-paced access for 4 months from enrolment, no programming background needed.
AI Essentials: Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence
Free · TAFE SA (SA residents)
A 5 to 10 hour micro-credential covering AI fundamentals, real-world applications, and ethical use. Fee-free for South Australian residents, with a certificate of completion on finishing.