AI Course Check

Google and Google Cloud

Google AI certification and courses: which to take first

The Google AI certification to start with is Google Cloud's Generative AI Leader exam: $99 plus tax, open to any job role. Google AI Essentials gives a certificate without an exam.

Courses listed
10
Free to take
7
Certifications
6
Curated by Jake BolandChecked against the issuers' and providers' pages on Oct 22, 2026How I verify

Which Google AI certification should you take?

The catch: the course certificates are billed monthly, so the total depends on how long you take, and Google doesn't say whether they expire.

Are there free Google AI courses?

Yes, short ones with badges rather than certifications. Introduction to Generative AI is free, under an hour, with a badge. Gen AI Agents: Transform Your Organization is free, 2.25 hours, with a badge. Teachers can take Generative AI for Educators with Gemini: free, 2 hours, with a certificate of completion.

Where should you start with Google and Google Cloud?

The first 2 courses in the recommended order of the list below.

More Google and Google Cloud AI courses

Recommended order: open now, wide audience, beginner level and lower cost first; closed courses last. The 2 courses shown above are not repeated here unless you filter or search. How we order courses.

8 courses

  • Enterprise Agents and Use Cases

    Google Cloud

    Delivery
    Online, self-paced
    Cost
    Free
    Level
    Beginner
    For
    Business professionals, Managers and leaders
    Duration
    About 1.5 hours
    Certificate
    Yes

    Start any time

    Checked against Google Cloud on Oct 5, 2026

  • Introduction to Gemini Enterprise

    Google Cloud

    Delivery
    Online, self-paced
    Cost
    Free
    Level
    Beginner
    For
    Business professionals
    Duration
    About 2.5 hours
    Certificate
    Yes

    Start any time

    Free certificate
    Checked against Google Cloud on Oct 5, 2026

  • Gen AI Agents: Transform Your Organization

    Google Cloud

    Delivery
    Online, self-paced
    Cost
    Free
    Level
    Beginner
    For
    Business professionals, Managers and leaders
    Duration
    About 2.5 hours
    Certificate
    Yes

    Start any time

    Free certificate
    Checked against Google Cloud on Oct 4, 2026

  • Google Prompting Essentials Specialization

    Google · Coursera

    Delivery
    Online, self-paced
    Cost
    $49 per month
    Level
    Beginner
    For
    Everyone, Business professionals
    Duration
    About 4 hours
    Certificate
    Yes

    Start any time

    Checked against Coursera on Oct 20, 2026

  • Google AI Professional Certificate

    Google · Coursera

    Delivery
    Online, self-paced
    Cost
    $49 per month
    Level
    Beginner
    For
    Everyone, Business professionals
    Duration
    About 8 hours
    Certificate
    Yes

    Start any time

    Checked against Google on Oct 20, 2026

  • Machine Learning Crash Course

    Google

    Delivery
    Online, self-paced
    Cost
    Price not stated by provider
    Level
    Beginner
    For
    Developers and engineers, Data scientists and analysts
    Duration
    Not stated
    Certificate
    Yes

    Start any time

    Checked against Google on Oct 22, 2026

  • Generative AI for Educators with Gemini

    Google

    Delivery
    Online, self-paced
    Cost
    Free
    Level
    Beginner
    For
    Teachers and educators
    Duration
    About 2 hours
    Certificate
    Yes

    Start any time

    Free certificate
    Checked against Google on Oct 3, 2026

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Which Google and Google Cloud certifications can you earn?

Each Google and Google Cloud certification's price, validity and who can take it, from Google and Google Cloud's pages, checked against them on October 20, 2026.
CertificationTypePrice as shownValid forWho can take itStatus
Google AI EssentialsCourse certificate$49 per monthNot stated by GoogleOpen to anyoneActive
Google AI Professional CertificateCourse certificate$49 per monthNot stated by GoogleNo requirement listedActive
Generative AI for Educators with GeminiCourse certificateFreeNot stated by GoogleNo requirement listedActive
Google Prompting EssentialsCourse certificate$49 per monthNot stated by GoogleNo requirement listedActive
Generative AI LeaderExamProctored online or at a test center$99 plus tax3 yearsOpen to anyoneActive
Professional Agentic ArchitectExamProctored online or at a test center$120 plus tax (beta); $200 plus tax1 yearNo requirement listedAnnounced
Professional Machine Learning EngineerExamProctored online or at a test center$200 plus tax2 yearsNo requirement listedActive

Sources

  1. Google: coursera.org, google ai essentials, accessed Oct 22, 2026
  2. Google: grow.google, ai professional, accessed Oct 22, 2026
  3. Google: coursera.org, google ai, accessed Oct 22, 2026
  4. Google: grow.google, ai for educators, accessed Oct 20, 2026
  5. Google: coursera.org, google prompting essentials, accessed Oct 22, 2026
  6. Google Cloud: cloud.google.com, generative ai leader, accessed Oct 20, 2026
  7. Google Cloud: services.google.com, generative ai leader exam guide english, accessed Oct 20, 2026
  8. Google Cloud: cloud.google.com, agentic architect, accessed Oct 20, 2026
  9. Google Cloud: services.google.com, professional agentic architect exam guide english, accessed Oct 20, 2026
  10. Google Cloud: cloud.google.com, machine learning engineer, accessed Oct 20, 2026
  11. Google Cloud: services.google.com, professional machine learning engineer exam guide english new, accessed Oct 20, 2026
  12. Google Cloud: support.google.com, 9750149, accessed Oct 20, 2026