The new year is in full swing, with more and more businesses getting on board the AI bandwagon. As a result, mass layoffs have become quite common, as many companies are already laying off employees in favor of AI.
There is still hope for workers that want to stay employed for the foreseeable future, though. CEOs and presidents have noted that employees who are proficient with AI tools are poised to stay competitive, and that could be you.
That is, of course, if you commit to upskilling with free AI training courses, like the ones we’ve collected below.
Google AI Essentials Specialization
⌛Length: 4 hours
As one of the largest and most recognizable companies in the world, it’s understandable that you would want to get your AI education from Google. After all, Gemini has become one of the most popular models in the world, with Apple now planning to use it to supercharge Siri.
If you want to use it to power your own AI upskilling, though, you’ll need to know some essentials, and this course is perfect for that. This beginner level, five-course program will give you all the basics you need to “help develop ideas and content, make more informed decisions, and speed up daily work tasks.”
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Even better, this course is available in 18 different languages, and you’ll get a LinkedIn course certificate when you’ve completed it, which you can use to convince prospective hiring managers to bring you on.
Check out Coursera to learn more about this course.
AI for Business Professionals – HP Life
⌛Length: 1 hour
You may not hear HP mentioned a lot in the AI discussion, but the company is betting big on the technology by integrating it into its PCs and launching the HP AI Companion for content generation.
With this course, you’ll learn about how to use AI to improve your business and streamline productivity in a meaningful way. You’ll also learn about the role of AI in business in 2026, how to use specific tools and features to optimize operations, and create a plan to bring AI into your enterprise.
More importantly, the class also focuses on the difference between AI tools and AI-integrated features, as well as the importance of ethics when bringing the technology in your business.
Check out HP Life to learn more about this course.
ChatGPT Prompt Engineering – Udemy
⌛Length: 1 hour
ChatGPT is still the most popular AI model in the world, with 800-900 million active users globally using it on a weekly basis.
You’re only as good as your prompts, though, which is why taking this ChatGPT prompt course could make a big difference. It provides users with all the tools they need to effectively prompt ChatGPT (and other AI models) with pointed, specific queries that will get you what you actually need.
This course goes beyond just teaching you what prompts to use, too. You’ll get hands-on experience with real-life examples that will bring your prompts to life in a practical and helpful way, and you’ll get tips on how to actually turn those prompts into actual applications.
Check out Udemy to learn more about this course.
Embark on Your AI Journey with Free AI Tools from Microsoft Education
⌛Length: 3 hours
Microsoft was one of the first big tech firms to get on the AI bandwagon with substantial investments in OpenAI after launching ChatGPT. Subsequently, it stands to reason that the company would provide some of the most valuable information when it comes to learning how to use AI.
This specific AI course is aimed at educators that want to bring AI tools into the classroom. According to the description, the class will help learners “create engaging lesson plans, provide detailed feedback, save time, or develop future-ready skills” for their students.
Those that take the course will learn how to use tools like Microsoft Copilot, GitHub Copilot, and the AI features within other Microsoft platforms like Teams and even Minecraft.
Check out Microsoft Education to learn more about this course.
AI Literacy and Compliance – University of Helsinki
⌛Length: 1 hour
If you want to ensure that your team is equipped with the knowledge necessary to use AI in the modern world at their jobs, this course from the University of Helsinki could be the way to go.
This course covers everything that your staff would need to be prepared for the new AI normal, including how to be AI ready at work, what large language models are capable of, and how to use AI models at your job.
There’s also a chapter within this course that focuses on AI safety in the workplace, including how to use it ethically, how to protect company data and intellectual property, and how to customize your own company’s AI policy.
Check out the Elements of AI page to learn more about this course.
Why You Need to Learn AI in 2026
If you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years, you might be confused about why all this emphasis is being put on AI in the business world in 2026.
If you’ve been paying attention, though, you know that generative AI technology has completely changed how we do business and that employees need to get on board quick or be left behind.
As many as 12% of US workers are currently using AI on a daily basis at work, and 68% of CEOs plan to increase their spending on AI in the new year.
All that to say, AI has become an absolute must for businesses and employees alike, and we don’t recommend falling behind in the long run.
