87% of C-Suite leaders struggle to find talent with AI skills, and 77% say AI is already disrupting their business strategy. As AI continues to reshape industries, professionals at all levels need to understand how to integrate it into their workflows. In response to this need Microsoft is introducing a series of AI courses with edX, designed to build foundational AI literacy and practical skills from business to technical users. The first six Microsoft courses will launch on edX April 8th as part of the 50-day Microsoft AI Skills Fest, and will be available in the edX subscription catalog for enterprise clients.
With Microsoft’s long-standing commitment to innovation and skills development, these courses provide a practical foundation in AI, helping professionals understand its applications and integrate AI-driven solutions into their work.
Here’s a look at the first courses set to go live in April and the key skills they focus on:
1. Microsoft: Use AI For Everyday Tasks
Learning how to use Gen AI for everyday tasks, understand the basics of writing effective prompts and identify useful prompt resources. Business users will be able to use different AI tools to prompt and build on results, as well as understanding how to use AI ethically.
- Who is this for? Business Professionals
- Level: Beginner
- Duration: ~1 hour
- View course details here
2. Microsoft: Getting Started with AI Agents in GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot Agents are custom tools embedded in Copilot Extensions that provide additional functionalities tailored to the end users’ needs. Course attendees will take part in a hands-on exercise to build a Copilot extension for a practical developer workflow.
- Who is this for? Tech Professionals
- Level: Beginner
- Duration: ~1 hour
- View course details here
3. Microsoft: Prompt Engineering for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Learning how to write effective AI prompts is an emerging skill. This course teaches practical AI productivity strategies to generate meaningful insights, automate tasks, and enhance collaboration.
- Who is this for? Business professionals, knowledge workers, Microsoft 365 users
- Level: Beginner
- Duration: ~2 hours
4. Microsoft: AI Foundations for Business Leaders
A foundational course explaining AI in business, its real-world applications, and how companies can adopt AI-powered solutions for efficiency and growth.
- Who is this for? Non-technical professionals, managers, executives
- Level: Beginner
- Duration: ~2 hours
5. Microsoft: AI for Workplace Productivity
AI is increasingly being used to streamline workflows and optimize efficiency. This course highlights practical AI tools that can support better decision-making and automate repetitive tasks.
- Who is this for? Professionals looking to improve workplace productivity
- Level: Beginner
- Duration: ~1 hours
6. Microsoft: Azure AI Fundamentals: Build & Deploy AI
For those looking to deepen their technical understanding, this course provides an introduction to Microsoft Azure’s AI capabilities, guiding learners through building and deploying AI-powered applications.
- Who is this for? IT professionals, developers, AI enthusiasts
- Level: Beginner
- Duration: ~3 hours
More AI Career-Aligned Learning Opportunities Coming Soon
For 50 years, Microsoft has been a leader in technological transformation, and today, AI is the next frontier. Through this collaboration with edX, Microsoft is making AI skills accessible, relevant, and actionable for professionals worldwide. And this is just the beginning—new courses aligned to latest technical careers will continue to roll out, ensuring ongoing learning opportunities for the workforce of tomorrow.
Start building your AI skills today with Microsoft and edX and chat to a Learning Solutions Consultant today.
