AI Core
The starting point for any professional working with AI. Build baseline confidence in four to five hours, grounded in how AI actually works and what responsible use requires in Australia.
Overview
AI Core is the foundational certification in the AAAI pathway. It is designed for any Australian professional who encounters AI in their working life and wants structured, credentialed confidence in how it works, where it helps, and how to use it responsibly. It covers five modules, from what AI is to hands-on practice, and includes Australia's AI Ethics Principles in plain language.
Who it's for
Built for any professional entering the AI space
- Administrative and operations professionals with AI entering their daily workflow
- Team leaders and managers who need to guide their teams through AI adoption
- Public sector professionals working within Australian government AI obligations
- Customer-facing, finance, and HR professionals as AI changes how their roles work
- Anyone who wants a credentialed starting point before progressing to AI Professional Foundations
This is the right level if
Already use AI tools regularly and need applied capability? AI Professional Foundations is the next level up.
What's covered
Course content
Five modules that build from AI fundamentals to hands-on responsible practice, including Australia's AI Ethics Principles.
What Is AI and Why It Matters
What AI is and where it comes from, how it is used in daily life and work, and what AI genuinely cannot do. Separating capability from hype.
Understanding Machine Learning
How machines learn from data, how AI models make predictions and decisions, and what the learning process actually looks like in practice.
AI in Everyday Life and Work
AI across working roles and industries, generative AI and prompting, working with AI tools as a knowledge worker, and where AI is heading next.
Safe and Responsible AI
Common AI risks, Australia's AI Ethics Principles in plain language, what responsible AI means for business professionals, human oversight, and the 3Cs Model for safe AI use.
Hands-on Practice
A practical challenge applying what you have learned: build an ICE prompt, run and evaluate results, iterate and refine. Concludes with your AI Core resource pack and personal reflection on moving forward.
How it works
Assessment and credential
Module knowledge checks
Each module closes with a short knowledge check to confirm understanding before progressing. The assessment is completion-based: you work through each check as part of the learning experience, not under exam conditions. See the AAAI Examination Policy for full details.
AI Core digital badge
Successful completion earns the AI Core digital badge at the foundational tier of the AAAI pathway. The credential is shareable on LinkedIn and professional profiles and confirms structured, assessed AI confidence, not just course participation.
Community
You are not learning alone
AI Core is part of a growing community of Australian professionals building AI capability together. As a course participant, you will have access to the AAAI community: a space to ask questions, share what you are discovering, and connect with peers across different industries and roles. The best insights often come from others applying these ideas in their own professional context. Access your community directly from your student dashboard.
Enrol
Investment
Includes all five modules, module knowledge checks, the AI Core digital badge on successful completion, lifetime access to course materials, and your AI Core resource pack: a downloadable toolkit with a prompt cheat sheet, common tools guide, AI glossary, Australian AI ethics summary, and a guide to making AI sound like you.
The pathway
Where this sits
AI Core
The entry point. Establishes baseline AI confidence for any professional, grounded in responsible use and Australia's AI Ethics Principles.
Foundational tierAI Professional Foundations
The intermediate tier for professionals who want structured, applied AI capability and a working grasp of Australian regulatory obligations.
Learn more →CAIS: Certified AI Strategist
The flagship AAAI designation for senior leaders who are responsible for AI strategy, governance, and transformation in Australian organisations.
Learn more →Start your AI pathway with a credential that holds up
AI Core establishes the foundation. Practical skills, responsible use, and the Australian regulatory grounding that every professional needs as AI enters the workplace.