Build Your AI Foundations with Google This Summer
If you’ve been following our AI in Practice series or have explored our From Chalkboards to Chatbots courses, you already know that building AI literacy is less about becoming a programmer and more about learning how to think with these tools. Now that the academic year is winding down and we continue to prepare for June’s AI Summit, the University System of Maryland is offering a timely opportunity to expand your AI competencies on your own schedule.
Through a partnership with the National Association of Higher Education Systems and Google, USM faculty are invited to enroll in two self-paced professional development courses this summer:
- Google AI Essentials (10 hours): Learn how AI can support your productivity, creativity, and critical thinking in everyday tasks. Whether it’s streamlining your inbox or organizing complex projects, this course walks you through the basics of AI-supported work—no prior experience required.
- Google Prompting Essentials (7 hours): Build a reusable prompt toolkit and explore real-world use cases for generative AI in education, planning, and communication. You’ll also examine ethical and responsible use of AI tools, making this a valuable resource for both beginners and those looking to deepen their prompting strategies.
These courses are free to USM faculty and run in two-month cycles: May 1–June 30 and July 1–August 31. You’ll earn a certificate from Google upon completion, and if you finish during the first cycle, you’ll walk into this summer’s AI Summit with a stronger foundation in generative AI—and new strategies to bring back to your classroom, research, or department work.
Express your interest by April 22 using this Microsoft Form. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Whether you’re looking to stay current with workplace tools, better understand your students’ skillsets, or gain confidence in your own use of generative AI, this is a low-barrier next step. Let this summer be the one where you move from AI-curious to AI-capable.
