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Ready to implement AI at work? Google has a new course for that

Google's AI Essentials course aims to help you optimize your workflows and supercharge your productivity with AI - in under 10 hours.
Written by Sabrina Ortiz, Editor
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Getty Images/Surasak Suwanmake

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) can positively impact most people's workflows, regardless of their industry. However, despite many generative AI tools being readily accessible, most people don't know how to apply them to their work. That's where Google's new AI course can help. 

On Friday, Google launched its new AI Essentials course, which teaches working professionals how to implement generative AI in their day-to-day to boost productivity. 

Also: Google releases two new free resources to help you optimize your AI prompts

The course takes less than ten hours to complete and includes videos, readings, and exercises. Once users complete the course, they will earn a certificate from Google that can be shared with employers, networks, social platforms, and more. 

The full course is available on Coursera for $49. If you are hesitant about spending the money, ZDNET plans on taking the course in the upcoming week and will share our review of its effectiveness soon.  

Google said it will also make the course available through nonprofits, schools, and companies. For example, Miami Dade College is providing the course to all its AI degree program students, and Google and CitiGroup will offer the course to their employees to help upskill them in AI. 

If you are an educator interested in learning more about how you can implement AI in your workflow, Google recently launched a free Generative AI Educators course in partnership with MIT. The course is intended to help educators learn how to use generative AI to save time, enhance lessons, and more. 

Also: 7 reasons I use Copilot instead of ChatGPT

In addition to launching the new course, Google also announced a $75 million AI Opportunity Fund intended to help Americans learn essential AI skills through grants given to workforce development and education organizations. Those organizations will then provide AI training to "rural and underserved communities, educators and students, public sector, nonprofit leaders and small businesses at no cost," according to the release. 

AI literacy is a critical part of successfully deploying AI tools because it allows people to get the most out of the technology. Courses like these not only help users become more competitive in the job market but also help them learn how to apply AI elsewhere in their lives. 
Interested in a free AI course? Check out ZDNET's list of best free AI courses.

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