# Best AI Training for Employees: 7 Picks by Team > Published 2026-11-10 > Source: https://viktor.com/blog/ai-training-for-employees AI training for employees works best as a mix of seven picks: Viktor for daily practice on real work, HBS Online for leaders, the SHRM AI+HI Specialty Credential for HR, Google Cloud for low-cost company-wide literacy, Microsoft for Microsoft 365 teams, AWS for technical staff and Udemy Business for role-based libraries. Each pick was judged on audience fit, format, cost per learner, credential, responsible AI coverage and hands-on practice. Viktor leads the list because he is an [AI employee](https://viktor.com/ai-employee) who takes real jobs from the team, so coursework turns into daily use on live work. Format, cost and credential at a glance: Viktor, hands-on work in Slack or Teams, free to start, then $100 a month per workspace, no credential. HBS Online, on-demand courses, $1,949, certificate. SHRM AI+HI, live labs plus modules, $2,205, 30 PDCs. Google Cloud, free online paths, $99 certification exam. Microsoft Learn, free paths, role-based credentials. AWS Skill Builder, free or $29 a month, exams from $100. Udemy Business, self-paced, $360 per user a year, no exam certification. ## How these tools were chosen Only 36% of respondents in [BCG’s 2026 AI at Work survey](https://web-assets.bcg.com/eb/92/4b39b729403fb6fcae4ff974b234/ai-at-work-slideshow-jun-2026-1.pdf) feel properly trained, the same share as in 2025. Each pick had to close part of that gap for a defined group, scored on these criteria: - **Audience fit:** The pick serves one clear group, such as the whole company, a role, leadership or technical staff. - **Format:** The delivery mode (self-paced, live, cohort or on the job) has to fit around client and project work. - **Cost per learner:** The price is the vendor’s own listed figure, in the vendor’s own unit, linked to the vendor’s page. - **Credential:** Completion produces a certificate, badge, exam-based certification or recertification credits, or the pick states that it does not. - **Responsible AI coverage:** The material covers risks such as hallucination, bias and data handling. - **Hands-on practice:** Learners use AI on labs, capstones or real tasks instead of only watching videos. Score any provider outside this list on the same six criteria before signing a contract. ## Best AI training for employees at a glance The table matches each pick to the group it serves and the place the learning happens: ```json:object { "_key": "k47", "_type": "table", "rows": [ { "_key": "k39", "_type": "tableRow", "cells": [ "Tool", "Best for", "Where it works", "Source" ] }, { "_key": "k40", "_type": "tableRow", "cells": [ "Viktor", "Turning training into daily AI use on real jobs", "Slack, Microsoft Teams, app.viktor.com, Discord", "viktor.com/integrations" ] }, { "_key": "k41", "_type": "tableRow", "cells": [ "HBS Online", "Leadership and executive AI strategy", "Online, on demand", "AI for Leaders" ] }, { "_key": "k42", "_type": "tableRow", "cells": [ "SHRM AI+HI Specialty Credential", "HR teams", "Live online labs plus self-paced modules", "SHRM Store" ] }, { "_key": "k43", "_type": "tableRow", "cells": [ "Google Cloud", "Low-cost company-wide AI literacy", "Google Skills, online", "Introduction to Generative AI path" ] }, { "_key": "k44", "_type": "tableRow", "cells": [ "Microsoft", "Teams already on Microsoft 365", "Microsoft Learn, online", "AI Fluency path" ] }, { "_key": "k45", "_type": "tableRow", "cells": [ "AWS", "Technical staff", "AWS Skill Builder, online", "Skill Builder subscriptions" ] }, { "_key": "k46", "_type": "tableRow", "cells": [ "Udemy Business", "Role-based prompt engineering at scale", "Udemy Business platform, self-paced", "AI Course Collection" ] } ] } ``` Match each row to one group in the company, then read that pick below. ## The picks All seven pair AI literacy with practical use; formats, credentials and cost differ. Each third-party price links to the vendor page it came from, pricing checked November 2026. ### Viktor: best for turning training into daily AI use Viktor is the AI employee who lives in Slack and Microsoft Teams, connects to 9,800+ tools, and does the work. Courses teach what AI can do. Viktor is where an employee hands over a real job and gets finished work back. People reach him by DM or @mention in [Slack](https://viktor.com/integrations/slack) and [Microsoft Teams](https://viktor.com/integrations/microsoft-teams), in the web app at app.viktor.com, or in a Discord server. He plans the job, works on his own cloud computer and returns the result in the thread, and most of his [9,800+ tool connections](https://viktor.com/integrations) take one click. Picture an agency owner who assigns the Monday ad spend recap across every client’s Meta Ads and Google Ads accounts in plain language. Viktor pulls the numbers and posts the recap, and the account team learns by reviewing and correcting finished work. For the basics of [what an AI employee is](https://viktor.com/blog/what-is-an-ai-employee), the category guide explains the hire model. These features make Viktor useful during a training rollout: - **Approvals:** Viktor is an AI employee who waits for approval before he changes an account. Approval cards in Slack or Microsoft Teams carry Approve and Reject buttons, and a rejected action never runs. - **Approval scope:** [Money moves, code pushes and customer emails wait for explicit approval](https://viktor.com/security), and admins can require approval for any other integration tool or mark it forbidden. - **Workspace memory:** Viktor retains the team’s context, decisions and preferences across conversations. - **Skills:** A senior person screen-records a job with narration, and Viktor writes it up as a skill the team can open, edit and share. If the job repeats, he proposes a scheduled task that stays paused until someone approves it. - **Data handling:** Customer data is never used to train models, by Viktor or his model providers, and [viktor.com/security](https://viktor.com/security) lists SOC 2 Type 1, with SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001 in progress (October 2026). Viktor connected 24 tools, took over reporting and took on 26 recurring jobs a week in 44 days, according to [Hampton’s customer story](https://viktor.com/case-study). The practical terms for a rollout: - **Format:** Learning by delegation, in the chat tools the team already uses. - **Cost:** Viktor is free to start with up to $100 in credits and no credit card; the Team plan is $100 a month for 40,000 credits shared by the whole workspace, with no per-seat fee and unused credits rolling over ([viktor.com/pricing](https://viktor.com/pricing), pricing checked October 2026). - **Credential:** None. The Activity view shows credit use by person and task, and each scheduled task shows time saved and credit cost. - **Best audience:** Owners who want every course to end in a job the team hands over that same week. Assign Viktor one recurring job in the first week of the rollout, so the course and the practice start together. [Start free with up to $100 in credits, no credit card →](https://app.viktor.com/signup) ### HBS Online: best for leadership and executive AI strategy HBS Online sells its leadership AI courses on demand, each with a 90-day access window and a Certificate of Completion for finishing within 90 days of enrolling. The AI courses for leaders: - **AI for Leaders:** Four modules take 16 to 25 hours at [$1,949 per course](https://online.hbs.edu/courses/ai-for-leaders), and the course page frames the aim as leading AI transformation “ethically, effectively, and at scale.” - **Designing Organizations for Agentic AI:** The course runs 20 to 25 hours at [$1,949 per course](https://online.hbs.edu/courses/designing-organizations-agentic-ai) and was announced as a new certificate course on [28 October 2026](https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/agentic-ai-course). - **AI Essentials for Business:** The course takes 16 to 24 hours over four weeks at [$1,949 per course](https://online.hbs.edu/courses/ai-essentials-for-business). - **Data Science and AI for Decision Making:** The course takes 20 to 25 hours at [$1,949 per course](https://online.hbs.edu/courses/data-science-ai-decision-making). - **Sprint: Building AI Skills:** The sprint takes 4 to 5 hours at [$489 per course](https://online.hbs.edu/courses/building-ai-skills), with a completion badge for finishing within 30 days. Completing any three courses in the subject area earns a Certificate of Specialization. On-demand participants who withdraw more than 24 hours after the start get no refund unless HBS Online elects to give one, under its [payment and refund policy](https://online.hbs.edu/why-hbs-online/about-our-courses-and-programs/policies/payment-refund). Enroll the owners, partners and department heads who set AI policy, one course each. Choose Designing Organizations for Agentic AI when the open question is how work gets reorganized. ### SHRM AI + HI: best for HR teams The SHRM AI+HI Specialty Credential lists at $2,205 on the SHRM Store, which notes that members save $350. The [store page](https://store.shrm.org/AIHI-Specialty-Credential) describes three live online instructor-led labs, five podcast-style self-paced modules, an online forum and a capstone in which each participant submits a real-world AI implementation plan. The store page lists six covered areas: AI Foundations, Responsible AI Use, HR Integration, Applied Learning, AI Solutions and Implementation, and Measuring AI Impact. The next live option runs Dec 1 to Dec 17, 2026, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM ET, with January 2027 options after it. The credential details: - **Credential:** The program carries 30 PDCs toward SHRM recertification, a digital badge through Credly, and no PDCs to maintain the credential. - **Cancellation:** Registrants can cancel for a full refund minus a $250 cancellation fee up to 10 business days before the program, provided they have not started the eLearning modules. - **Best audience:** HR leads and HR business partners who will run the company’s AI policy. The credential earns its price for HR staff who hold a SHRM certification and need recertification credits, and for an HR team that wants a finished implementation plan from the capstone. HR staff who only need AI basics get those from the Google or Microsoft paths below. ### Google Cloud: best for free company-wide AI literacy Google Skills offers a [Starter plan at no cost](https://www.skills.google/subscriptions) with 35 free credits every month, limited hands-on labs and skill badges; the Pro plan is [$29 per month](https://www.skills.google/subscriptions). Individual path pages do not print a price, so the Starter plan’s terms are the published no-cost route. The literacy content: - **Beginner: Introduction to Generative AI:** The [path](https://www.skills.google/paths/118) covers generative AI from large language model fundamentals to responsible AI principles in 4 activities. - **Introduction to Generative AI course:** The [course](https://www.skills.google/course_templates/536) is a 45-minute microlearning module. - **Generative AI Leader path:** Google Cloud’s [holiday training post](https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/training-certifications/upskill-for-the-holidays-no-cost-ai-training-from-google-skills) labels it “(no credits required).” The paid step is the [Generative AI Leader certification at $99 per attempt](https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/generative-ai-leader), plus tax where applicable: a 90-minute exam of 50 to 60 multiple-choice questions, valid for 3 years, built for any job role with or without technical experience. The [Professional Machine Learning Engineer exam](https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/machine-learning-engineer) costs $200 per attempt and runs 2 hours. Assign the beginner path to everyone, then pay for the Generative AI Leader exam only for the people who will make AI decisions. ### Microsoft: best for teams already on Microsoft 365 Microsoft Learn publishes AI paths that run inside the same ecosystem as Microsoft 365 Copilot. The paths for non-technical staff: - **AI Fluency:** The path has 7 beginner modules, from AI basics and responsible AI to productivity with Microsoft Copilot. - **Transform your business with AI:** The path has 4 modules totalling 2 hr 34 min, written for business leaders and owners. - **Transform ideas into action with Copilot Chat (Basic):** The path has 3 modules for business users, including one on writing effective prompts. - **Agent in a day:** The online workshop path teaches building with Copilot Studio, and its companion instructor-led course is free to attend. The role-based credentials include AI Transformation Leader (AB-731) for business decision-makers and AI Business Professional (AB-730) for using Microsoft 365 Copilot without writing code; their pages show only a country-based pricing note. Azure AI Fundamentals (AI-901) costs $99 USD per attempt, and the Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (AI-103) costs $165 USD per attempt, both priced by the country where the exam is proctored. AI-900 and AI-102 retired on June 30, 2026, so older training plans that name them need updating. Teams already on Microsoft 365 Copilot should start everyone on the Copilot Chat path, then route business leads to AB-731 and developers to AI-103. ### AWS: best for technical staff AWS says Skill Builder offers [“1,000+ learning resources for free”](https://aws.amazon.com/training/digital), including a [fundamentals of machine learning and AI course](https://skillbuilder.aws/learn/16ASDUHF86/fundamentals-of-machine-learning-and-artificial-intelligence/M7JZCTA94N?parentId=SU2A1EJM1A) marked free and rated 4.6 out of 5 from 31,206 reviews. The [subscriptions page](https://skillbuilder.aws/subscriptions) limits free-account access to AWS SimuLearn and AWS Cloud Quest to the Cloud Practitioner and Generative AI Practitioner roles. The paid tiers on the subscriptions page are $29 per month or $449 per year for individuals, and $449 per seat per year for teams of five or more. The [AWS training FAQ](https://aws.amazon.com/training/faqs) excludes certification exams from the Individual subscription. The AI certifications, priced per attempt: - **AWS Certified AI Practitioner:** Foundational-level exams cost [100 USD](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/faqs). - **AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer, Associate:** MLA-C01 costs [$150 USD](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-machine-learning-engineer-associate), and the updated MLA-C02 beta costs $75 USD. - **AWS Certified Generative AI Developer, Professional:** The exam costs [300 USD](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-generative-ai-developer-professional) and runs 180 minutes. - **AWS Certified AI Business Strategist:** The beta exam costs [50 USD](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-ai-business-strategist), against a standard price of 100 USD. Give engineers and data staff the free courses first, buy the Team subscription when they need official practice exams and labs, and budget exam fees as a separate line. ### Udemy Business: best for role-based prompt engineering at scale Udemy Business lists its Team plan at [$360 per user per year, billed annually, for 2 to 50 people](https://business.udemy.com/plans), with a free trial; the Enterprise plan for more than 20 people is “Contact sales for pricing” on the same page. Team includes 28,000+ courses and Enterprise 30,000+. The [AI Course Collection](https://business.udemy.com/ai-course-collection) holds 800+ AI courses in 14 languages and 30+ AI Starter Paths with tracks for leadership, business and technical teams. The [AI Introduction for All Employees path](https://business.udemy.com/learning-path/introduction-to-ai-for-all-employees) covers AI fundamentals, prompt engineering and ethics. The plan details that affect scale: - **In-course AI help:** Udemy’s in-course AI tool is [included in the Team and Enterprise plans](https://business-support.udemy.com/hc/en-us/articles/26495602624151-Udemy-AI-Assistant-Frequently-asked-questions) at no additional cost. - **AI plans:** The [AI Readiness Plan](https://business.udemy.com/plans) requires at least 100 seats, and the AI Growth Plan at least 21. - **Credential:** The AI collections include AI topic assessments and progress tracking in the Skills Proficiency Dashboard; no exam-based certification appears among the plan features. Choose Team for a self-serve library across a small team, and move to Enterprise when the company needs the role-specific AI Growth paths or AI Connectors, which are Enterprise only. ## Tools that didn’t make the list Three providers reviewed against the same criteria fell short on cost transparency or audience fit: - [Simplilearn](https://www.simplilearn.com/corporate-training) runs blended live and self-paced programs with an LMS, but its corporate page lists tiers without enterprise prices, so cost per learner cannot be compared. - [InnovateUS](https://innovate-us.org/course) offers free, self-paced courses designed specifically for public sector professionals, and its pages describe no route in for private companies. - [Correlation One](https://www.correlation-one.com/enterprises) builds custom, live instructor-led programs priced by quote, with some tiers preferring in-person delivery, which fits a single large program more than self-serve upskilling. Request a written per-learner quote from Simplilearn or Correlation One before ruling either out for a large cohort. ## How to choose Measure skills before buying anything: [Data Society](https://datasociety.com/when-training-metrics-lie-how-to-actually-measure-ai-upskilling-effectiveness) calls baseline data before a program essential, and its measures are adoption in real workflows, output quality and new applications. With a baseline in hand, the decisions below follow. ### Match the pick to each group Each group needs a different mix: - **Whole company:** Start with the Google Skills or Microsoft Learn beginner paths. [Gallup](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/651203/workplace-answering-big-questions.aspx) reports that almost half of employees who use AI at least once a year say their organization has offered no training at all. - **Executives:** Use HBS Online. [McKinsey](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organization/our-insights/the-organization-blog/redefine-ai-upskilling-as-a-change-imperative) says leaders must go first, because employees take their cues from how leaders talk about and use AI. - **HR:** Use the SHRM credential when recertification credits and an implementation plan matter. - **Technical staff:** Use AWS, the Google Professional Machine Learning Engineer exam or Microsoft AI-103. - **Frontline staff:** Give them hours and coaching. In [BCG’s 2025 survey](https://web-assets.bcg.com/fd/0d/bcc5dfae4cbaa08c718b95b16cf5/ai-at-work-2025-slideshow-june-2025-edit-02.pdf), 79% of respondents with more than five hours of training were regular AI users, against 67% of those with less; the figure is an association, not proof of cause. - **Free or paid:** Pay where a credential, recertification credit or exam matters to the role, and use free paths for literacy. In an agency, the frontline is the account team. Pair a short literacy course with one live client job, such as the weekly multi-client report, so practice happens on billable work. ### Roll out with champions and a governance module Peer learning ranks high with employees: 69% placed it among their top three ways to build AI skills in [BCG’s research](https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/ai-adoption-puzzle-why-usage-up-impact-not). [Baym, Dillon and Jaffe in HBR](https://hbr.org/2026/03/peer-influence-can-make-or-break-your-ai-rollout) argue that peer influence drives adoption, though the evidence for champion networks comes from surveys and case descriptions rather than controlled trials. Policy awareness is thin: only 28% of GenAI users told [Deloitte UK](https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/issues/generative-ai/genai-workforce-survey-leadership-training.html) that their company has a policy they can find, understand and trust as current. Under the EU AI Act, the AI literacy provisions have applied since 2 February 2025, with national authority supervision from 2 August 2026, according to the [European Commission](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/ai-talent-skills-and-literacy). [White and Case](https://www.whitecase.com/insight-alert/eu-ai-omnibus-enters-force-amending-ai-act) reports that the Omnibus amendment, which entered into force on 27 July 2026, changed the duty to taking measures to support a sufficient level of AI literacy. Build the data privacy module around which tools are approved and what data may go into each. Microsoft recommends pairing training with leadership support, clear guardrails and secure, approved tools to address hallucination, over-reliance and [shadow AI](https://viktor.com/blog/how-to-handle-shadow-ai-on-your-team). [Talk to the Viktor team about onboarding, security review and spend controls →](https://viktor.com/contact-sales) ### Track four KPIs against the company’s own baseline Published benchmarks for completion rates and post-training AI usage are scarce, so the pre-training numbers serve as the benchmark. Track these four: - **Completion:** [ATD’s 2025 State of the Industry](https://assets.td.org/m/483691e33fbdf4db/original/State_of_the_Industry_PDF_Download_2025.pdf?utm_source%3Dchatgpt.com=) reports that the number of employees trained is the most common learning metric, and 64% of organizations used readiness or competence to judge the learning function in 2024. - **Usage after training:** [HBR](https://hbr.org/tip/2026/03/become-a-sophisticated-ai-user) advises measuring how people use AI, not how often, since counting prompts and hours says little about performance. - **Task time saved:** In [Gartner’s 1Q26 survey](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-05-13-gartner-predicts-by-2027-50-percent-of-enterprises-without-a-people-centric-ai-strategy-will-lose-their-top-ai-talent), 19% of employees reported no time saved with AI, so record task times before the course starts. - **Assessed skill level:** [Forrester’s AIQ](https://www.forrester.com/blogs/low-aiq-threatens-employees-customers-and-your-ai-initiatives) measures readiness to adapt to, trust and generate results from AI, at individual, team and company level. For work handed to Viktor, the Activity view and each scheduled task’s time saved give a usage and time record without a separate survey. [Give the account team one live job to practice on, with up to $100 in credits and no credit card →](https://app.viktor.com/signup) ## FAQ ### Are there free AI courses for employees? Yes, Microsoft Learn paths such as AI Fluency, the no-cost Google Skills Starter plan and the free tier of [AWS Skill Builder](https://aws.amazon.com/training/digital) all cover AI basics without a course fee. Certification exams on all three platforms cost extra. ### How much does AI training cost per person? [ATD’s 2026 State of the Industry highlights](https://www.td.org/content/atd-blog/highlights-from-atd-s-2026-state-of-the-industry-report) report general learning spend of $846 per employee in 2025, down $408 from 2024; that figure covers all training, not AI alone. General learning spend does not establish an AI-specific per-employee cost, nor does AI-budget research from Gartner, Forrester, McKinsey, BCG or Deloitte; [BCG](https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/from-ai-skills-to-business-performance) reports that leading companies allocate as much as 60% of their AI budgets to capability building and retraining. ### What topics should AI training include? The European Commission’s [AI literacy questions and answers](https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/faqs/ai-literacy-questions-answers) start with what AI is, how it works, which AI the organization uses, and its opportunities and dangers, then the risks of each system in use. Its example of employees using ChatGPT for advertising copy names hallucination as a risk they should know about. Add prompt writing, which [Google AI Essentials](https://grow.google/ai-essentials) teaches, and data handling, which Microsoft’s Prepare to Use Generative AI at Work module covers alongside checking AI claims against a trusted source. ### Which AI certifications are worth paying for? Pay for a certification only when the role needs proof of skill. HR staff gain recertification credits from SHRM, business leaders get a role-matched exam in Microsoft AB-731 or [Google Generative AI Leader](https://cloud.google.com/learn/certification/generative-ai-leader), and engineers benefit from [AWS developer exams](https://aws.amazon.com/certification/certified-generative-ai-developer-professional) or Microsoft developer exams. Staff who only need literacy can complete free paths and skip the exam. ### How should AI training differ for executives and frontline staff? Leaders get trained far more often: 44% of leaders said they had received training on AI tools, against 14% of frontline employees, in [BCG’s survey](https://www.bcg.com/capabilities/artificial-intelligence/ai-for-business-society-individuals/working). [McKinsey](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organization/our-insights/the-organization-blog/reimagine-learning-and-development-for-the-ai-age) says frontline employees adopt AI tools to lift productivity while managers lead mixed human and AI teams, and it recommends experiential learning for the front line. Executives need strategy and policy; frontline staff need practice on their own tasks. ### How do you get employees to use AI after training? [Gallup](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/349484/state-of-the-global-workplace.aspx) reports frequent AI use of 79% among employees who strongly agree their managers actively support AI use, against 46% among those who do not. Courses alone fall short; in a [McKinsey study](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organization/our-insights/the-organization-blog/redefine-ai-upskilling-as-a-change-imperative) of Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption, seven in 10 participants ignored the onboarding videos. Give each team one recurring job to hand to Viktor right after the course, so the habit forms on real work. ### How do you measure AI training results? Use the [Kirkpatrick Model](https://www.kirkpatrickpartners.com/our-philosophy/the-kirkpatrick-model): Level 3 checks whether people perform the new behaviors on the job, and Level 4 checks whether targeted business outcomes follow. In a small [Gartner Peer Community poll](https://www.gartner.com/peer-community/oneminuteinsights/omi-genai-marketing-teams-training-methodologies-jfe) of 50 marketing respondents, 10% said they do not measure GenAI training at all. ### How long does it take to train a workforce on AI? Basic literacy takes hours per person; company-wide proficiency takes years. [Fortune](https://fortune.com/2025/11/21/principal-financial-upskilling-ai-literacy) reports that Principal Financial asked its 20,000 employees to take four AI courses that take under 10 hours in total, while [BCG](https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/five-must-haves-for-ai-upskilling) says reaching AI proficiency at scale may take several years. Schedule literacy courses in the first quarter and track usage for at least a year after. Pick one recurring job, such as the Monday multi-client report, and hand it over in the first week of training. [Hire your first AI employee with up to $100 in free credits, no credit card →](https://app.viktor.com/signup)