FoundationModules 1–2
Understand and recognize AI
Build a plain-language model of AI and identify where it appears in daily life.
Milestone: Explain an AI example, its purpose, and one limitation.
Your beginner roadmap
A Practical Path from First Setup to Confident AI Use
Prepare your device and accounts carefully, progress through the course, and continue building useful AI habits after class.
Before the course
Prepare in Four Manageable Steps
You do not need specialist equipment or paid AI subscriptions. A safe setup, one useful goal, and a willingness to practice are enough to begin.
Before starting
Choose one useful goal
Begin with a real task instead of trying to learn every AI product.
- Write down one task you want to understand, improve, or complete.
- Identify what a good result would look like.
- Remove confidential or sensitive information from anything you plan to use.
- Review the beginner terminology and safety guidance in Resources.
Prepare your computer
Make practice easy and accessible
A dependable setup reduces distraction during guided exercises.
- Use a current web browser and install available device updates.
- Check your keyboard, screen, audio, charger, and internet connection.
- Set browser zoom, captions, screen-reader, or other accessibility preferences.
- Create a folder or document for prompts, notes, source links, and reflections.
Create AI accounts carefully
Wait for confirmed tool instructions
Tool and account requirements will be shared before enrollment; there is no need to purchase a subscription now.
- Use only official provider websites or app stores.
- Review age requirements, terms, privacy controls, and data settings.
- Use a unique password and multi-factor authentication when available.
- Do not connect work, school, or personal files unless you have permission and understand the settings.
Your first week of practice
Build a small, repeatable habit
Short, careful practice is more useful than collecting many tools.
- Try one low-risk prompt using a goal, context, constraints, and format.
- Save the prompt and note what changed after a follow-up question.
- Verify at least one claim against an original, reliable source.
- Record one useful result, one limitation, and one question to bring to class.
During the course
Progress from Foundations to Independent Practice
The eight modules are organized into four practical phases. Each phase ends with something you can explain or demonstrate.
Everyday useModules 3–4
Prompt and improve
Use AI for a practical task, give clearer instructions, and refine an output.
Milestone: Complete a useful draft or plan and explain the revisions you made.
Control and safetyModules 5–6
Map actions and manage risk
Explore workflows and agents while applying privacy, accuracy, bias, and oversight checks.
Milestone: Mark the human approval points in a simple AI-assisted workflow.
Apply and continueModules 7–8
Use the full process
Connect AI skills to changing work, complete a guided scenario, and plan continued practice.
Milestone: Finish a task using the plan–prompt–check–improve process.
After the course
Turn New Skills into Reliable Habits
Continued learning works best when you repeat useful tasks, keep evidence, and review your process as tools change.
Repeat one task
Use the same workflow several times and note where it saves effort or introduces risk.
Build a prompt library
Keep only prompts you understand, label their purpose, and record when they should not be used.
Review monthly
Check provider changes, privacy settings, source quality, and whether your process still works.
Share responsibly
Explain both the useful result and the human checks when helping someone else learn.
Recommended continued learning
Build Depth One Level at a Time
These levels describe a sensible progression, not a promise that every future course is currently available.
- Level 1
AI Foundations
Strengthen core concepts, prompting, verification, privacy, and responsible everyday use.
- Level 2
AI Productivity
Practice repeatable support for writing, planning, research, study, and organization.
- Level 3
AI for Business
Explore appropriate uses in operations, communication, customer service, and decisions.
- Level 4
AI Automation
Learn how workflows, integrations, and agents work with clear permissions and approval points.
- Level 5
AI Leadership and Governance
Develop skills for risk, policy, security, evaluation, and responsible adoption.
Take the Next Action
Use the free Resources hub to prepare, review the complete beginner course, or ask the academy about a learning need.