Prompt engineering and Generative AI skills are now essential across every industry, from business and education to programming and marketing.
This curated list features the top prompt engineering courses, the best free ChatGPT training programs, and the strongest certificate-bearing options to help you master AI usage in 2026.
How we have chosen these top Prompt Engineering Courses
- Selected from the top free prompt engineering and ChatGPT courses trusted by global learners
- Prioritized programs with hands-on practice, real prompts, and practical GenAI applications
- Included beginner-friendly and advanced tracks covering ChatGPT, LLMs, and applied AI workflows
- Focused on reputable platforms offering certificates or digital badges
- Chosen for clarity, accessibility, and real-world usefulness in 2026
10 Best Free AI Programs to Learn ChatGPT, Prompt Design & Applied GenAI Skills
1. Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT – Great Learning Academy
Delivery: Online
Duration: Self-paced (approx. 3 hours)
This prompt engineering course free with certificate helps you learn how to write powerful, structured prompts that get accurate and meaningful results from ChatGPT.
It provides a clear understanding of Generative AI and Large Language Models while teaching practical techniques for using AI confidently in real-world tasks.
Key Outcomes:
- Understand the fundamentals of Generative AI and how Large Language Models work.
- Learn to write clear, structured prompts that produce high-quality and reliable AI responses.
- Master advanced techniques for refining, iterating, and improving output accuracy.
- Explore real-world applications of prompt engineering for writing, research, creativity, and problem-solving.
- Build practical skills across Generative AI basics, LLM concepts, crafting effective prompts, output optimization, and best practices.
- Earn a certificate of completion to validate your skills in AI prompt engineering.
2. ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers – DeepLearning.AI
Delivery: Online
Duration: 1.5 hours
Created by AI pioneer Andrew Ng in collaboration with OpenAI, this is the industry benchmark. It teaches you how to build powerful applications with Large Language Models (LLMs) using API calls and advanced prompting logic.
Key Outcomes:
- Learn the two key principles for writing effective prompts for developer tasks.
- Master “iterative” prompt development to refine AI outputs for accuracy.
- Understand how to use LLMs for summarizing, inferring, and transforming text.
- Gain hands-on experience building a custom chatbot using OpenAI’s infrastructure.
3. ChatGPT for Beginners – Great Learning Academy
Delivery: Online
Duration: Self-paced (approx. 5 hours)
This chatgpt free course for beginners helps you understand how ChatGPT works and use it confidently in daily life.
You’ll learn practical ways to use AI for writing, content creation, productivity, and even basic coding, making it ideal for anyone who wants to save time and work smarter with AI.
Key Outcomes:
- Learn how ChatGPT works and how to set up and use it for personal or professional tasks.
- Master techniques to generate content, summarize text, draft professional emails, and respond creatively.
- Understand how to use AI for basic coding assistance, troubleshooting, and productivity workflows.
- Build practical skills in prompt engineering, content generation, summarization, marketing copy creation, and AI-assisted writing.
- Explore responsible usage, limitations, and best practices for working with AI tools.
- Earn a certificate of completion to showcase your foundational AI literacy.
4. Introduction to Prompt Engineering – Learner’s Point
Delivery: Online
Duration: 3 hours
This course focuses on the “Zero-Shot” and “Few-Shot” prompting techniques that separate average users from power users. It is designed to help you get the desired output on the very first try.
Key Outcomes:
- Learn to provide “examples” within your prompt to guide the AI’s style and tone.
- Master “Chain of Thought” prompting to help the AI solve complex logical problems.
- Understand how to format AI outputs into tables, CSVs, or specific code blocks.
- Gain a certificate that proves your ability to engineer high-precision AI results.
5. AI for Everyone – Cognitive Class (IBM)
Delivery: Online
Duration: 2 hours
IBM offers this specialized path to help people understand the broader ecosystem of Generative AI. It moves beyond just text, showing how prompt engineering applies to image generation and data automation.
Key Outcomes:
- Grasp the underlying mechanics of how Generative AI models are trained.
- Master the art of “Prompt Priming” to set the stage for long-term AI interactions.
- Explore real-world business use cases for AI across different global industries.
- Earn a digital badge from IBM that is highly recognized by tech recruiters.
6. ChatGPT for Educators – Canvas Network
Delivery: Online
Duration: 4 hours
This specialized course is designed for teachers, trainers, and managers. It focuses on using AI to create lesson plans, quizzes, and administrative documents while maintaining academic integrity.
Key Outcomes:
- Learn to use ChatGPT to personalize learning materials for different skill levels.
- Master the creation of “Rubric-based” prompts for automated grading assistance.
- Understand how to teach students the responsible use of Generative AI tools.
- Receive a professional development certificate for your educational portfolio.
7. Prompt Engineering Guide – DAIR.AI
Delivery: Online (Open Resource + Certification)
Duration: Self-paced (approx. 5 hours)
This is the most technically rigorous open-source resource available globally. It is used by researchers to stay updated on the latest prompting papers and techniques like “Self-Consistency” and “Knowledge Retrieval.”
Key Outcomes:
- Master advanced techniques like “Automatic Prompt Engineer” (APE).
- Learn to protect AI models from “Prompt Injection” attacks and security flaws.
- Understand the interaction between prompts and external data sources (RAG).
- Access a community-verified path to becoming a certified Prompt Engineer.
8. Generative AI Fundamentals – Google Cloud Skills Boost
Delivery: Online
Duration: 1 hour
Google’s entry-level course provides a high-level overview of Large Language Models. While it covers Google’s own AI, the prompting principles are universal and applicable to ChatGPT and other major models in 2026.
Key Outcomes:
- Understand the difference between discriminative and generative AI models.
- Learn the basics of how to structure queries for cloud-based AI tools.
- Discover how to use AI to speed up the development of digital products.
- Earn a Google Cloud badge to validate your understanding of AI fundamentals.
9. ChatGPT for Business Productivity – HubSpot Academy
Delivery: Online
Duration: 1.5 hours
HubSpot focuses on the “Bottom Line.” This course is built to show marketing and sales professionals how to use ChatGPT to automate their lead generation and customer service workflows.
Key Outcomes:
- Learn to build “Custom GPTs” tailored to your specific business data.
- Master the art of using AI to write high-converting sales copy and ad headlines.
- Understand how to integrate AI into your daily CRM and project management tools.
- Earn a globally recognized certification to boost your marketing career.
10. Intro to ChatGPT – Codecademy
Delivery: Online (Interactive)
Duration: 2 hours
Codecademy offers an interactive environment where you can test prompts and see results in real-time. It is highly effective for learning how to use AI as a “Coding Partner” to debug and write scripts.
Key Outcomes:
- Master the use of ChatGPT for explaining complex code snippets.
- Learn to prompt the AI to translate code between different languages.
- Understand the “Token” system and how it affects long-form AI conversations.
- Earn a certificate of completion to prove your AI-assisted coding skills.
Conclusion
These programs highlight the top prompt engineering courses, the best free ChatGPT training options, and practical certificate-bearing programs to elevate your AI skills in 2026.
Whether you’re a developer, educator, business professional, or beginner, each course provides real-world value for mastering AI tools, prompting frameworks, and Generative AI workflows.
