AI courses and training
Free self-paced courses, courses and cohorts from approved trainers, and free courses from the companies building AI, all in one place. Training you complete counts toward your AI Ready certificate hours.
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Learning paths →Self-paced courses
Take these right here. Completing one records verified credit hours automatically.
- AI Ready Academy
AI Foundations
A self-paced starter course: what AI is, how to get good results from it, and how to use it responsibly.
FreeBeginner · Self-paced online · 60 minEarns 1 credit hour - Enterprise Technology Association (ETA)
ETA Certified AI Empowered Professional
Certification · 6 courses in 3 levelsA six-course curriculum in AI Fluency and Using AI Agents at Work, from foundations to advanced, with a knowledge check in every module and a final assessment in every course.
Foundations free · $149 a levelSelf-paced online · ~12 hr
Instructor-led courses and cohorts
From AI Ready Ohio approved trainers. Most are paid; enrollment and payment happen with the trainer.
Gentiv-AI SolutionsClaude for SMB: Build 2 AI Business Assistants in Just 2 Hours
This hands-on workshop helps small business owners move from basic AI experimentation to building two practical Claude AI assistants they can use in their business right away.
FreeBeginner · Live online · 120 minutesEarns 2 credit hours
Lighthouse ForceAI Leadership Accelerator
The AI Leadership Accelerator is a six-week program that helps small-business owners move from limited AI use to practical business application. Participants identify high-value opportunities, apply AI to real workflows, and develop a responsible implementation plan that prepares their businesses for continued advances in AI.
$300 per person, $3000 per teamBeginner · Hybrid · 90 minutes, 6 weeksEarns 9 credit hours
Free courses from trusted providers
Free courses from trusted providers. Log the hours you complete to count them toward your certificate.
- U.S. Department of Labor
Make America AI-Ready: AI 101 by Text (opens in a new tab)
A free 7-day AI basics course delivered by text message, about 10 minutes a day. No laptop or internet plan needed. Text READY to 20202 to start. Covers the five areas of DOL's AI Literacy Framework.
FreeBeginner · Text message · 7 days · ~1 hr total - AI Ready Ohio
AI Ready Ohio Virtual Training Day Courses (opens in a new tab)
Courses from the August 26, 2026 Virtual Training Day: AI basics, AI governance, Claude, Microsoft AI tools, AI security and AI agents.
FreeBeginner · Video · On demand - Ohio public libraries (OPLIN)
LinkedIn Learning, Free With Your Ohio Library Card (opens in a new tab)
CertificatesEvery Ohio public library card unlocks LinkedIn Learning's 6,600+ courses, including a deep catalog on AI, data and business skills.
FreeBeginner · Video · 6,600+ courses - Google Skills
Introduction to Generative AI (opens in a new tab)
Skill badgeWhat generative AI is, how it differs from traditional machine learning, and where it is used.
FreeBeginner · Self-paced · 45 min - Google Skills
Introduction to Large Language Models (opens in a new tab)
Skill badgeHow LLMs work, what they are good at, and how prompt tuning improves results.
FreeBeginner · Self-paced · 1 hr - Google Skills
Introduction to Responsible AI (opens in a new tab)
Skill badgeA quick primer on responsible AI and the principles Google uses to guide its products.
FreeBeginner · Self-paced · 15 min - Grow with Google
Generative AI for Educators with Gemini (opens in a new tab)
CertificateUse Gemini and NotebookLM to save time, personalize instruction and build better lessons. Built for middle and high school teachers.
FreeBeginner · Self-paced · 2 hrs - Google for Developers
Machine Learning Crash Course (opens in a new tab)
Google's practical intro to machine learning with animated videos, interactive visualizations and hands-on exercises.
FreeIntermediate · Self-paced - Kaggle
Kaggle Learn: Intro to Machine Learning (opens in a new tab)
Learn core machine learning ideas and build your first models in short, hands-on coding lessons.
FreeBeginner · Hands-on · Self-paced
Certificates and certifications
AI Ready certificates
AI Explorer, AI Empowered Professional and AI Empowered Leader are earned with verified training hours (2, 4 and 8 total) from courses, workshops and events. Then keep stacking hours and credentials.
How certificates workCertifications from training providers
Some providers also offer certifications: a full curriculum with assessments, completed level by level, like the ETA Certified AI Empowered Professional. Certifications are earned by finishing the curriculum, not by hours.
About the certification