AI Foundations is a free beginner course from OpenAI Academy, online. It takes about 1.5 hours and ends with a free badge.
For anyone starting to use ChatGPT at work who wants the core habits in about an hour: clear instructions, context and checking answers. It's free, short and ends with an assessed badge, which beats a video playlist as proof of learning. The caveats: it's built around ChatGPT, and you need a ChatGPT account. It's the first step in OpenAI's sequence; next comes Applied AI Foundations. For OpenAI's shorter reading resource, see ChatGPT Fundamentals.
Free OpenAI Academy course for people new to AI at work. Covers giving clear instructions, providing context, checking responses and responsible use, applied to drafting, summarising, planning and meeting preparation. Score 80% or more on the assessment to earn a course badge.
More courses on prompt engineering and on responsible AI and ethics.
Everyone (no background needed), Business professionals.
Level: beginner (as stated by the provider). Delivery: online, self-paced.
ChatGPT account. No other prerequisites stated.
Free. Free; requires a ChatGPT account, no workspace membership.
Certificate: free badge. OpenAI Academy course badge (80%+ on assessment).
OpenAI is based in the US. We checked this course on the provider's own page on 5 Oct 2026.
It is free to take. We show any paid extras, such as a certificate, as the provider prices them.
If you want a free, government-backed start instead, AI Skills Boost gives every adult in the UK free AI courses, and finishing selected ones earns an AI foundations badge.
None of the UK funding schemes we track pays for this course. See free and funded training by nation for what is funded where you live.
Other UK courses on AI literacy and fundamentals: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Online (Forth Valley College), Living with AI (Scottish AI Alliance), An Introduction to AI (North East Scotland College).
See also: free and funded training by nation.
It's free.
About 1.5 hours, self-paced.
Yes: free badge. The provider calls it "OpenAI Academy course badge (80%+ on assessment)".
It's a beginner course. Prerequisites: ChatGPT account. No other prerequisites stated.
Start any time.
Yes, every one we list is free or free to learn, including AI Foundations and ChatGPT Foundations for Teachers.
Cardiff and Vale College
Next intake not announced
Cardiff and Vale College
Next: 8 Mar 2027
Cardiff and Vale College
Next: 18 Jan 2027
| Course | Delivery | Cost | Level | Hours | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Capabilities and LimitationsAnthropic Academy | Online, self-paced | Free | Beginner | Not stated | Free certificate |
| AI Fluency: Framework & FoundationsAnthropic Academy | Online, self-paced | Free | Beginner | Not stated | Free certificate |
| AI in primary computingNational Centre for Computing Education | Online, self-paced | Free | Beginner | 1.5 | Certificate not stated |
| AI literacy for teachers and school leadersRaspberry Pi Foundation | Online, self-paced | Free | Beginner | Not stated | Free certificate |
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