Google AI Essentials
Google AI Essentials is a self-paced online course delivered by Google. It is free, takes about 2.25 hours, and awards a certificate of completion (free on Google Skills; included in Coursera subscription).
- Relevance to work
- 3 / 3
- Cost and access
- 2 / 2
- Provider
- 1.6 / 2
- Credential
- 1.2 / 1.5
- Currency
- 1.05 / 1.5
- Total
- 8.8 / 10
Provider learner rating: 4.8 out of 5 from 25634 ratings on Coursera specialisation page, as at 2026-09-29
Key facts
| Cost | FreeFree on Google Skills, including a completion certificate. The Coursera version is US$49 per month after a 7-day free trial (about A$70 per month; USD to AUD at 1.425 (open.er-api.com, 29 Sep 2026)); Google's Australian page quotes the USD price. Coursera says the Coursera version cannot be audited for free; financial aid is available there. |
|---|---|
| Time | 2.25 hours (provider stated) |
| Level | Beginner |
| Format | self-paced online |
| Prerequisites | none |
| Credential | certificate of completion (free on Google Skills; included in Coursera subscription) |
| Open to | Worldwide |
| Free in | Worldwide |
| Content written for | United States |
| Last checked | 2026-09-29 |
Topics:AI basicsEveryday use and prompting
Things to know
- Google Skills and Coursera versions list different durations (Google Skills: 2 hr 15 min; Coursera: about 8 hours across five short courses)
- Coursera version is subscription-based and cannot be audited
- US-centric examples
- Google Skills sign-in required
Summary
Google's entry-level course on using generative AI tools at work: generating ideas, researching, drafting and speeding up routine tasks. It also covers prompting basics and how to spot bias and other risks. The same course is sold on Coursera, but Google now offers it at no cost on its own Google Skills platform.
You will be able to
- Use generative AI tools to brainstorm ideas and draft content
- Apply AI to research, organisation and planning tasks
- Write clearer, more specific prompts
- Recognise bias and other risks and use AI responsibly
- Keep skills current as AI tools change
Modules
- Introduction to AI
- Maximize Productivity With AI Tools
- Discover the Art of Prompting
- Use AI Responsibly
- Stay Ahead of the AI Curve
Who it suits
Any worker new to AI who wants a short, practical and well-known starting course.
Who is behind it
- Delivered by
- Hosted on
- Google Skills (skills.google); also Coursera (paid) and Grow with Google
- Funded by
- Not stated
- Partners
- Not stated
Compared with
Related courses
Questions
- Is Google AI Essentials free?
- Yes. It is free as at our last check. Free on Google Skills, including a completion certificate. The Coursera version is US$49 per month after a 7-day free trial (about A$70 per month; USD to AUD at 1.425 (open.er-api.com, 29 Sep 2026)); Google's Australian page quotes the USD price. Coursera says the Coursera version cannot be audited for free; financial aid is available there.
- How long does it take?
- About 2.25 hours (provider stated).
- Do you get a certificate?
- Yes. It awards a certificate of completion, free on Google Skills; included in Coursera subscription.
- Who is it for?
- Any worker new to AI who wants a short, practical and well-known starting course.
- Can I take it from outside Australia?
- Yes. It is open worldwide. It is free in: Worldwide.
Sources
- https://www.skills.google/course_templates/1224
- https://www.coursera.org/specializations/ai-essentials-google
- https://www.coursera.org/learn/google-ai-essentials
- https://grow.google/intl/en_au/ai-essentials/
- https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/training-certifications/upskill-for-the-holidays-no-cost-ai-training-from-google-skills
- https://open.er-api.com/v6/latest/USD
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