The best free AI courses and certificates for upskilling in 2026 - and I've tried them all

I've worked with AI for decades and have a master's degree in education. Here are the top free AI courses online that I recommend - and why.

From Text To Tables: Why Structured Data Is AI’s Next $600 Billion Frontier

Tabular foundation models are the next major unlock for AI adoption, especially in industries sitting on massive databases of ...
Analytics Insight

Top 10 Udemy Courses You Must Take in 2026 for Tech Skills

Overview Covers in-demand tech skills, including AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and full-stack development for ...
Microsoft

Global AI Adoption in 2025—A Widening Digital Divide

Global adoption of AI continued to rise in the second half of 2025 as the digital divide between the Global South and Global ...
Morning Overview on MSN

An AI pioneer says tech is limited and won’t replace humans soon

Warnings that artificial intelligence will wipe out jobs and outthink its creators have become a familiar soundtrack to the ...
The Conversation

‘This year nearly broke me as a scientist’ – US researchers reflect on how 2025’s science cuts have changed their lives

Carrie McDonough receives funding from the U.S. EPA. She previously led the Pittsburgh chapter of Stand Up for Science and volunteers with Indivisible Pittsburgh, Casa San Jose and Pittsburgh ...
The Verge

AI’s water and electricity use soars in 2025

A new study estimates the environmental impact of AI in 2025 and calls for more transparency from companies on their pollution and water consumption. A new study estimates the environmental impact of ...
Albuquerque Journal

With new tech and science roadmap, New Mexico looks to turn research strength into economic growth

Nora Meyers Sackett says New Mexico’s small, intertwined tech ecosystem can sometimes suffer from siloing itself. But she hopes a newly released roadmap highlighting the state’s advancements from ...
The New York Times

Immigration Agents Are Using Air Passenger Data for Deportation Effort

The Transportation Security Administration is flagging passengers for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to identify and detain travelers subject to deportation orders. The Transportation Security ...
International Monetary Fund

Better Economic Measurement Is About Wiser Use, Not Just More Data

We live in a galaxy of data. From satellites and smartwatches to social media and swipes at a register, we have ways to measure the economy to an extent that would have seemed like science fiction ...
The New York Times

The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine

A quiet policy change means the government is making fewer bets on long-term science. By Aatish Bhatia, Amy Fan, Jonah Smith and Irena Hwang In the past decade, the National Institutes of Health ...
Bloomberg L.P.

What AI Bubble? BNEF Outlook for Data Center Power Use Rises 36%

Power demand from US data centers is set to surge to 106 gigawatts by 2035, according to BloombergNEF, a 36% increase from the research provider’s previous outlook in April. The upward revision in ...