AI Certifications: Build AI Skills with Professional Certificates & Courses

What Are AI Certifications?

AI certifications are credentials that validate someone’s knowledge & skills in AI concepts, tools, and applications. When someone says that they have an AI certification, they might be referring to:

• Academic certificates in AI that are awarded by educational institutions
• AI certifications that are granted by professional organizations (e.g. UiPath)
• AI courses, certificates or certifications issued by tech companies (e.g. AWS, IBM, etc.)

Plenty of AI certificates & certifications are aimed at non-technical professionals with little or no knowledge of technical concepts and coding. More advanced programs are geared toward technical professionals who need specific AI training in areas like software development, agentic AI, and intelligent systems. There are even some AI certifications that are tailored to professionals in a specific industry (e.g. marketing).

Think of these AI offerings as micro-credentials that can quickly train you in the latest tools & developments. Most AI certifications are short, targeted, and online. This makes them the perfect solution for busy professionals who are eager to try out new AI strategies in their workplace.

AI Certifications vs. AI Certificates vs. AI Courses

When you start looking for AI certifications, you’ll be faced with a dizzying array of options. Courses, non-credit 5-week certificates, for-credit certificates, certification exams—what’s going to be the best solution for your needs? And how can you be sure employers will respect the credential? Here’s a summary of the differences between AI courses, certificates & certifications.

AI Courses

Standalone courses in AI are offered by universities, tech companies, and industry associations. The most popular AI courses are often found on MOOC & EdTech platforms like Coursera, EdX, UiPath Academy, and DeepLearning.AI. These courses may be supported by big names such as IBM, Vanderbilt, and MIT.

Standalone courses in AI are a great way to get a taste of AI training without committing your heart & soul to a program. Many of these courses can be folded into multi-course certificates and certifications if you want to take the extra step.

AI Certificates

AI certificates can be credit-bearing or non-credit bearing certificates awarded by academic institutions and training providers. For universities, non-credit bearing certificates are the norm. They’ll typically be offered by the university’s continuing education or lifelong learning arm. Some certificates can also be used to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

An academic certificate in AI might be a strong choice if you like the feel of structured learning—starting with AI basics and progressing to more advanced studies—and you enjoy instructor-led programs. Quality can vary widely, so always talk to recent students before committing. You don’t want to get stuck in an AI certificate program with outdated tech coursework.

AI Certifications

AI certifications are vendor- or industry-issued credentials that are earned by passing a standardized exam. The classic example for AI automation is UiPath Certified Professional program for automation professionals. However, keep in mind that organizations in your specific industry may also offer AI-focused credentials. For instance, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has its own AI+HI Specialty Credential.

Most artificial intelligence professionals view AI certifications as a “nice to have” element on a résumé. A reputable AI certification shows employers that you’ve reached a certain threshold of technical knowledge in your area of interest. But you’ll also need to have a solid portfolio of workplace projects and a healthy slug of real-world experience to secure a role.

AI Certification & Certificate Guides

The road to a better-paying and more fascinating job in artificial intelligence starts here! Explore our guides to AI certifications—listed by focus area—to find the right fit for your career goals.