Free AI Certifications from Top Tech Companies You Can Add to your LinkedIn

Let's be real: AI isn't coming for your job. But someone who knows how to use AI might be.

The good news? You don't need to go back to school or drop thousands of dollars on a bootcamp to get up to speed. Right now, some of the biggest names in tech—Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, and even OpenAI—are offering completely free AI certifications that you can add straight to your LinkedIn profile.

Whether you're looking to stay competitive in your current role, pivot to a new career, or just understand what all the AI hype is actually about, these certifications can help you get there. And the best part? They're designed for real people with real schedules, not just computer science majors.

Here's everything you need to know about the free AI certifications worth your time in 2025.

1) LinkedIn Learning (Microsoft & LinkedIn)

LinkedIn offers the "Career Essentials in Generative AI by Microsoft and LinkedIn" learning path, which provides a comprehensive certification covering generative AI fundamentals, Microsoft Copilot, ethics, and practical applications. The top AI courses on LinkedIn Learning were made free through July 31, 2025, though some courses may now require a LinkedIn Learning subscription.

Key courses include:

• What Is Generative AI?

• Streamlining Your Work with Microsoft Copilot

• Ethics in the Age of Generative AI

• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

2) Google (Free Certifications)

Google offers several free AI courses through their "Grow with Google" platform, including Google AI Essentials and Google Prompting Essentials, both of which provide certificates from Google that can be shared on LinkedIn.

Free Google options:

• Google AI Essentials: A self-paced program under 10 hours that teaches how to use generative AI tools, create effective prompts, and use AI responsibly, with a certificate from Google upon completion

• Google Cloud AI courses: Google Cloud offers free tutorials and certifications through their platform, including courses on Generative AI, LLMs, and Vertex AI, with free skill badges and certificates

Note: Google AI Essentials on Coursera costs $49/month after a 7 day free trial (the course is only 6 hours long---plenty of time to cancel before your trial ends!), but Google Cloud courses are completely free.

3) Microsoft (Free Training + Certification Vouchers)

Microsoft offers free AI certification courses through Microsoft Learn, including a 12-week "Artificial Intelligence for Beginners" curriculum with 24 lessons covering neural networks, computer vision, and natural language processing.

Microsoft's AI Skills Fest 2025 (running from April 8 to May 28, 2025) offers free certification exam vouchers worth $99-$300, with 50,000 vouchers available for completing learning challenges.

Popular free paths:

• Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-900) training

• Career Essentials in Generative AI

• Develop Generative AI Solutions with Azure OpenAI Service

4) OpenAI Academy (Newer, get in early!)

OpenAI Academy is open to everyone with free enrollment, and they plan to pilot OpenAI Certifications starting in late 2025/early 2026, offering certifications for different levels of AI fluency from the basics of prompt engineering to AI-enabled work .

Current Status (As of October 2025)

The OpenAI Academy launched earlier this year as a free online learning platform that has helped connect more than 2 million people with the resources, workshops, and communities they need to master AI tools.

What's Available NOW:

• Virtual and in-person gatherings, quick videos, tutorials, resources from AI basics to advanced content, and community networking opportunities

• As of March 2025, OpenAI Academy expanded to include a publicly available, free online resource hub supporting AI literacy with tools, best practices, and peer insights

• Free webinars and workshops with industry experts

• Hands-on tutorials and practice environments

Certifications Coming Soon

OpenAI Academy certifications will launch in late 2025 with three skill levels: from basic AI fluency to advanced prompt engineering. The certifications are being designed differently than traditional click-through programs—they're delivering training in a way that is more likely to lead to actual skill-building than more traditional click-through certifications, with training grounded in understanding employer needs and matching supply and demand.

Why OpenAI Academy Stands Out

OpenAI Academy is built by the creators of ChatGPT, meaning the curriculum comes directly from the team that understands AI capabilities better than anyone else on the planet.

Major benefits include:

• Direct employer partnerships: Major employers like Walmart are already partnering to train millions of workers through the platform

• Job platform integration: The Academy directly connects to job opportunities through OpenAI's upcoming Jobs Platform launching in 2026

• High credibility: Certifications from the company behind ChatGPT will carry significant weight with employers

My Recommendation

Join OpenAI Academy NOW and start engaging with their free content, workshops, and community. When the official certifications launch in late 2025/early 2026, you'll be among the first to earn them—which could give you a significant competitive advantage since professionals who start building Academy credentials today will be the certified experts commanding premium salaries when the broader market realizes what's happening.

You can sign up at academy.openai.com to get access to the current free resources and be notified when certifications become available!