Free AI courses from Google

Google has a whole set of courses on AI, machine learning and cloud. It first appeared back in 2023, and the courses are still open. You can study almost all of them for free, but the Coursera certificate costs money; on Google Skills you get a badge instead. If you’ve been meaning to brush up on AI, ML or cloud, or just get more productive, this is not one to miss.

Here are 10 courses to start with:

1. Introduction to Generative AI
   How generative AI works and how it differs from classic ML
   🔗 skills.google/paths/118/course_templates/536

2. Introduction to Large Language Models
   What LLMs are, how they’re built and where they’re used
   🔗 skills.google/paths/118/course_templates/539

3. Google AI Essentials
   The basics of using AI in everyday tasks. The only item on the list that is no longer free: it’s now a specialisation of five courses, the first seven days are free, and after that it’s a Coursera subscription. Free auditing is gone: since August 2025, without a subscription you only get the first module of each course. If you can’t pay, you can apply for financial aid
   🔗 coursera.org/specializations/ai-essentials-google

4. Introduction to Responsible AI
   Responsible AI: principles, risks and Google’s approach. About an hour. Free to take, but the Coursera certificate is paid; Google Skills gives badges for completed courses
   🔗 coursera.org/learn/introduction-to-responsible-ai

5. Google Cloud Computing Foundations: Data, ML, and AI in Google Cloud
   The basics of cloud, big data and ML. Completing it earns a skill badge on Google Skills rather than a certificate. Labs on Google Skills use up credits, and you get 35 free each month
   🔗 skills.google/course_templates/156

6. Introduction to Machine Learning
   The main types of machine learning, how supervised learning works and how solving a problem with ML differs from the usual approach. About twenty minutes, free, no certificate
   🔗 developers.google.com/machine-learning/intro-to-ml

7. Responsible AI: Applying AI Principles with Google Cloud
   How Google puts Responsible AI into practice
   🔗 skills.google/paths/118/course_templates/388

8. Google Cloud Essentials
   What the cloud is and what problems it solves — with hands-on practice in the console
   🔗 skills.google/course_templates/621

9. Understand the Basics of Code
   An introductory programming course
   🔗 skillshop.exceedlms.com/student/collection/648915-basics-code

10. Prompt Design in Agent Platform
    Prompt engineering and working with Gemini on real-world examples
    🔗 skills.google/paths/118/course_templates/976

For what to learn first, see nine AI skills for 2026.