certificate of completion (free on Google Skills; included in Coursera subscription)
Free on Google SkillsGoogle certificateNo tech background neededCoursera version costs extra
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.
FreeBite-sized 30-minute coursesGoogle badgesUpdated September 2026
Eleven 30-minute courses showing how Gemini works inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet, Chat, Drive, Vids and the Gemini app. Each is short enough to take on its own, so staff can learn just the app they use most.
A four-part Google Cloud path that explains what generative AI and large language models are, how prompting works and how to apply responsible AI principles. It is conceptual rather than tool training, which makes it a neutral primer before picking a specific product.
Free pathLeads to a Google Cloud certificationNon-technicalAimed at leaders
A five-course path for managers and decision makers on what generative AI can do for an organisation, how to choose between tools and how agents may change work. It prepares learners for Google Cloud's non-technical Generative AI Leader certification but is useful without sitting the exam.
certificate of completion (included in subscription)
Google certificateUnder 10 hoursNo tech background neededPaid subscription
A four-course Google series focused only on prompting. It teaches a five-step method for writing prompts and applies it to everyday tasks such as email, data analysis, building presentations and using AI as a thinking partner.
certificate of completion (included in subscription)
Google certificate20+ hands-on activitiesPaid subscriptionIncludes 3-month Google AI Pro trial (limited time)
Google's newer, broader follow-on to AI Essentials, made up of eight short courses built around hands-on work projects. It covers using Gemini for research, writing, content, data analysis and even building simple apps without code.
Questions
How many free Google courses are there?
4 of the 6 Google courses we rate are fully free, as at our last check.
Which is the quickest?
Google AI Essentials from Google, at about 2.25 hours.
Which gives a free certificate?
3 courses give a free certificate. The highest rated are Google AI Essentials, Google Workspace with Gemini, Introduction to Generative AI (Google).
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