Google AI Essentials

New to AI? With Google AI Essentials, you’ll discover how you can use AI to assist, empower, and inspire you. Learn how to use generative AI tools to help speed up daily tasks, make more informed decisions, and develop new ideas and content.

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Get more done, faster

Designed by experts at Google, AI Essentials shows you how to integrate AI tools into your daily workflow and increase your productivity.

1.75

average hours saved each day reported by employees who use generative AI1

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“The Google AI Essentials course has tremendously increased my understanding of AI and has cut the time I spend on administrative tasks for school and my internship in half.”

JAIMEER G.
Google AI Essentials graduate

What’s in store

Do more than just learn AI fundamentals. With AI Essentials, you’ll practice using AI with hands-on activities based on real-world scenarios.

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    No experience required

    All skill levels welcome
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    <10 hours to complete

    Learn at your own pace
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    5 modules

    Master the fundamentals quickly
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    Flexible schedule

    AI training that fits into your life

COURSE

AI Essentials

course details 1

Brainstorm

Use AI to help you come up with new ideas, get past creative blocks, and build fresh, new content.

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Analyze & Take Action

Make more informed decisions by leaning into AI to gather information and dissect data.

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Boost Productivity

Speed up your daily tasks with AI, like drafting emails or summarizing reports.

Module breakdown

MODULE 1 - 1 HOUR

Introduction to AI


MODULE 2 - 2 HOURS

Maximize Productivity With AI Tools


MODULE 3 - 2 HOURS

Discover the Art of Prompting


MODULE 4 - 1 HOUR

Use AI Responsibly


MODULE 5 - 2 HOURS

Stay Ahead of the AI Curve


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Stand out with in-demand AI skills

AI skills are becoming increasingly valuable in today’s dynamic workplace. By learning how to collaborate with AI, you’re giving yourself a competitive edge and setting yourself up for success.

  • Earn a certificate

    After completion, you can add your Google AI Essentials Certificate to your resume and professional profile.

  • Get hands-on experience

    No need to wait. With Google AI Essentials, you’ll gain practical knowledge that you can put to use right away.

Hear from our graduates

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“The course did a great job explaining AI - from development through application. I appreciated the varying perspectives presented, which were helpful in understanding how to AI responsibly as a tool in my profession, rather than a novelty.”

CRIS M.
Google AI Essential graduate

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“I really think [the course] was perfect. It wasn’t too high level and it gave you that hands-on experience. I feel like my prompts have improved significantly.”

MEREDITH A.
Google AI Essential graduate

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“I thought I was proficient until I took [AI Essentials], but there was so much I didn’t know. I would probably say it saves me more than 20 hours a week. I don’t have to hire a personal assistant because AI does that work.”

LAKETRA C.
Google AI Essential graduate

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Frequently asked questions

What is AI?

You probably already know that AI is short for artificial intelligence. But what does that mean exactly? AI refers to computer programs trained to do complex actions that usually require human brain power — and potentially a lot of time and effort — to accomplish. Simply put, AI can help with challenging tasks. When you learn to use AI tools effectively in your job, it can help you speed through some of those not-so-fun, routine tasks you dread to tackle, which can give you the time and space you need to concentrate on big-picture thinking or reach your goals more quickly. For example, you can use AI tools to help summarize notes, analyze dense spreadsheets, and create an engaging presentation. You can even use AI tools to help draft a detailed sales report and highlight key insights that you can share with your coworkers and managers. By learning how to augment your work with AI, you can set yourself up for success in today’s dynamic workplace — and you don’t even need programming skills to use it.

What is Generative AI?

Generative AI is a specific form of AI that focuses on creating new content like text, images, or other media based on examples it’s been trained on. Some AI tools accept text or speech as input, while others also take videos or images. An exciting feature of generative AI tools is that you can give them instructions with natural language, also known as prompts. So, no coding is needed. During Google AI Essentials, you’ll practice using a conversational AI tool like Gemini, where you’ll experience using natural language to ask Gemini questions or brainstorm with it. In the workplace, you can use generative AI tools to get creative inspiration, boost your productivity, and make your ideas even bigger. For example, let's say you need to develop a new product. You can prompt the AI tool to help brainstorm ideas. Then, after reviewing the output, you can refine your ideas with additional prompts. You can even use an AI tool to generate a presentation outline to explain the product further and an image generator to create visuals for your presentation.

Why should I leverage AI tools at work?

AI is quickly transforming today’s workplace. It makes sense, then, that developing a strong understanding of how to use the technology could give you a competitive edge in a variety of industries. But beyond helping you cultivate a fruitful career, AI can make your days at work more productive, too. AI can tackle routine tasks on your to-do list, help you enhance the quality of your work, empower you to make informed decisions, and generate new content for you. Stuck for ideas at the beginning of a project? Use AI as a creative collaboration tool. Drowning in a sea of emails? Use AI tools to help draft responses so you can clear out that inbox quickly. Need to make a quick promo video to market a new product? Just prompt an AI tool with your ideas and assets.

Why enroll in the Google AI Essentials online course?

Google AI Essentials is taught by AI experts at Google who are working to make the technology helpful for everyone. In under 10 hours, they’ll do more than teach you about AI fundamentals — they’ll show you how to actually use it. You’ll get practical, hands-on experience augmenting your current and future work tasks with AI. Through videos, readings, and interactive exercises, you’ll learn how to use generative AI tools, create effective prompts, use AI responsibly, and select the right AI tools for your work needs. This self-paced course is accessible to everyone and is designed to fit into busy schedules. You don’t need any technical experience to begin, and the skills you’ll learn can be applied to a variety of roles across industries. After you complete the course, you’ll earn a certificate from Google to share with your network and potential employers.

Who is Google AI Essentials for?

This course is designed for anyone who feels swamped — like there’s never enough time to tackle the work that actually matters to them and their company. It’s created for those who want to supercharge their skillset and save time. With Google AI Essentials, you can develop the essential AI skills you need to be successful in today’s workplace, zero experience required.

What AI tools will I use in the Google AI Essentials course?

You’ll gain hands-on experience using a variety of AI tools to accomplish different workplace tasks. From conversational AI tools to text-to-image generators, each activity comes with a list of AI tools you can choose from to learn how to get the job done.

How are the AI skills I learn in Google AI Essentials applicable to my work?

Within each module, there are hands-on activities to practice using AI tools across many different real workplace scenarios. These activities provide an opportunity to learn by doing. Learners will develop practical skills that can be applied immediately to their work or can be showcased to employers. For example, when you discover the art of prompt engineering in module 3, you’ll use a conversational AI tool to help develop ideas and generate content to promote a product. You’ll incorporate AI into creative tasks such as brainstorming ideas for a presentation.

What modules are included in the Google AI Essentials curriculum?

Google AI Essentials includes 5 modules: Introduction to AI Maximize Productivity With AI Tools Discover the Art of Prompting Use AI Responsibly Stay Ahead of the AI Curve

What will I get when I finish Google AI Essentials?

After you complete the course, you’ll earn a certificate from Google to share with your network and potential employers.

Why is a certificate from Google important?

Having a certificate from Google is a concrete way to show current and future employers your competency in AI, an increasingly essential skill set.

How can I be sure Google AI Essentials will teach the latest AI skills?

We understand that technology is moving fast, so we update our AI training regularly to make sure it stays relevant.

Is Google AI Essentials an online course?

Yes, Google AI Essentials is an online course that you can complete at your own pace.

Is Google AI Essentials free?

Google AI Essentials costs $49 on Coursera. When you purchase the course, you’ll have access to all course materials, including videos, activities, readings, and graded assessments. When you complete the course, you’ll earn a certificate from Google to share with your network and potential employers. If you are interested in financial assistance for Google AI Essentials, you may be eligible for financial aid via Coursera through the course page. Recipients of financial aid have full access to course content and assignments required to earn a certificate. To apply, go to the course page on Coursera and click the “Financial aid available” link next to the “Enroll” button.

Where can I access Google AI Essentials?

Google AI Essentials is available on Coursera, an online learning platform that offers access to online courses. Google has worked with Coursera to make Google AI Essentials available on their platform.

Who designed Google AI Essentials?

Google AI Essentials was designed and built by subject-matter experts and AI practitioners at Google.

How are Google Career Essentials different from Google Career Certificates?

Google Career Essentials help you build in-demand skills to grow your career. Whether you’re looking to add a skill to your resume, apply a new skill to uplevel your work, or simply learn something new, the course will help you quickly gain valuable competencies. In contrast, Google Career Certificates prepare you for entry-level jobs in specific career fields like Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Project Management, IT Support and others. They take about three to six months to complete. At the end, you’ll unlock job search support including 1-on-1 career coaching, an exclusive job board with 150+ employers, and more.