By the end of this course, you will:
- Build practical AI fluency: know what these tools can and cannot do, and judge when the output can be trusted
- Explain in plain language how large language models work, and use a repeatable framework for writing prompts that get useful results
- Choose the right AI tool for a given task across writing, research, study, design, and image generation
- Use AI research tools to investigate a question properly, and verify sources and data rather than taking output on trust
- Build a reusable AI skill of your own, such as a coach that role-plays a difficult conversation you need to practice
- Connect AI tools to the applications you already use so they can take action, not just produce text
- Select the right image generation model for a given purpose and prompt it for a specific visual style
- Combine several tools into a single workflow that produces a well-researched business or personal case for change
- Apply AI to your own professional development, from career growth to presentations to learning faster
The course runs over four weeks. Each week introduces a few tools, with short lessons you can work through at your own pace. Every tool has a free version, and no prior experience is assumed.
Week 1 — The Everyday AI Assistants
- ChatGPT — how these tools actually work, in plain language, and a simple prompt engineering framework you will reuse all the way through the course
- NotebookLM — upload your own documents and get summaries, study guides, audio overviews, and infographics grounded in what you gave it
- Claude — a first look at what it does well and how it differs from the others
Week 2 — Going Further: Taking Action and Checking Your Facts
- Claude, in depth — connectors that link Claude to the apps you already use, and building one reusable skill of your own — we walk through a salary negotiation coach you can practice a hard conversation with
- Perplexity — AI search that shows its sources, so you can verify an answer instead of taking it on faith
Week 3 — Making Images
- ChatGPT image tools — prompting for a style, not just a subject, and creating visuals for stories, marketing, and explainers
- Google Gemini and Nano Banana — how the models differ, which to reach for when, and using one image to inspire another
Week 4 — Pulling It All Together
- Your capstone workflow — combine several tools from the course into one project: a well-researched case for a change you want to make, at work or in your own life
The weeks build on each other, but each one stands on its own if you want to start where your interest is.
This course is designed for anyone who wants to use AI well at work, whether you have never opened an AI tool or you already use one every day and want to go further. The early sessions assume nothing; the later ones go deep enough to be worth your time if you are already comfortable. You may find it especially useful if you want to explore AI tools but do not know where to start, feel put off by AI jargon and want a structured introduction, prefer hands-on practice to theory, or want to see real applications that fit your daily work.
It also suits practitioners who have outgrown basic prompting and want to build reusable AI skills, connect AI to their other applications, and design workflows that span several tools. Team leads running AI upskilling for a group will find it a useful common starting point, and a shared vocabulary to build on. No prior knowledge of AI or programming is required.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. You will receive a certificate of completion from Caltech CTME when you finish the course. This is a certificate of completion for a free, non-credit course, not a professional certificate and not academic credit. If you are looking for a credential with assessed coursework, see our AI and machine learning certificate programs at https://ctme.caltech.edu/ai-machine-learning-certificate-courses.
What is AI literacy, and why does it matter?
AI literacy is the practical ability to understand what AI tools can and cannot do, choose the right one for a task, prompt it well, and judge whether the output can be trusted. It matters because AI is now embedded in ordinary work, and the gap between people who use these tools thoughtfully and people who use them credulously is widening. This course was built to close that gap.
Does this course cover Claude?
Yes, in depth, across the first two weeks. Week 1 introduces Claude at a high level alongside the other assistants. Week 2 goes deeper: Projects for keeping a body of work together, connectors that let Claude take action in your other applications, and building your own reusable Claude skills, plus Claude Code and Claude Cowork. Building a salary negotiation coach that role-plays a difficult conversation is one of the exercises.
Is this suitable if I have never used an AI tool?
Yes. The course assumes no prior experience with AI or programming. It starts with what these tools are and how to prompt them, and every week is built around guided exercises rather than theory. The later weeks go further than most introductions, but nothing earlier depends on them.
Do I need to pay for any of these tools?
No. Every AI tool covered has a free version, so you can start immediately. Some offer paid upgrades with additional features, and the course explains what those add so you can decide for yourself, but no purchase is required to complete the course.
Is this the same course as the live AI Tools for Everyone?
The on-demand version covers the same core material as the live lab but is built for self-paced learning. It includes short video modules, interactive exercises, optional collaborative projects, and access to periodic live check-ins and Ask Me Anything sessions with instructors. Different format, same commitment to hands-on learning.
Do I need a technical background?
No. The course is built for beginners and experienced professionals alike, and requires no programming. Even the material on Claude Code and building AI skills is taught for people who are not developers.
How does this differ from a paid AI certificate program?
This course builds practical AI literacy: which tools to use, how to prompt them, how to verify what they produce, and how to fold them into your work. It is free, self-paced, and has no assessments. Our paid AI and machine learning certificate programs are structured, assessed, and go into applied technical depth. They answer different questions, and many people take this course first.
Why did you choose these tools?
With thousands of AI tools available, we focused on the widely used ones that genuinely improve productivity, research, design, and professional workflows, including job search, résumé creation, and presentations. These are the tools our instructors use regularly and find most effective.
Will the tools change if I re-watch the course later?
Almost certainly. Tool updates are the one constant in AI right now, which is why we refresh this course periodically. This August 2026 update added new modules on Claude, connectors, building AI skills, and image model selection. As the tools change, so will the curriculum.
Why is this course relevant?
AI tools are reshaping how people work, create, and make decisions. Whether you are a professional trying to save time, a student, or someone who wants to keep up, this course gives you hands-on grounding in tools that can make a real difference to your work and career.
How is this course different from other free AI courses?
Most free AI courses are short tutorials. This is a structured lab from Caltech CTME with expert instructors who use these tools daily, built around exercises rather than demonstrations, and it goes further than an introduction, into building your own AI skills and connecting AI to your other applications. If you want applied AI and machine learning depth afterwards, see our certificate programs and enterprise offerings such as AI Academy.
