Level 1 - Foundation

AI Aware: Your Gateway to
AI Literacy

Everything you need to confidently understand, use, and evaluate AI tools in your daily work. No technical background required. Just curiosity and 20 hours of your time.

20 Hours Total 8 Lessons 28 Chapters For Everyone Certificate on Completion
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Why AI Literacy Matters Right Now

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept that only concerns scientists and engineers. It is here, in your inbox, your search results, your workplace tools, and your daily decisions. The question is no longer whether AI will affect your job. The question is whether you will be ready when it does.

A 2025 study found that professionals with demonstrated AI skills earn a 56% wage premium over peers in similar roles without AI competency. Yet fewer than 1% of knowledge workers worldwide hold any form of AI certification. That gap represents the single largest professional development opportunity of this decade.

CAP Level 1: AI Aware is designed to close that gap. In 20 focused hours, you will move from curiosity to competence, building a foundation that transforms how you work, think, and create value.

Who is this for?

Everyone. Marketing managers, accountants, nurses, lawyers, teachers, executives, project managers, administrative assistants, and anyone whose work involves information, communication, or decision-making. Level 1 assumes zero technical background.

What You Will Learn

Level 1 is not about memorizing definitions. It is about building practical intuition for what AI can do, where it falls short, and how to use it responsibly. By the end, you will be the person on your team who actually understands this technology and can put it to work.

The curriculum is organized around eight lessons, each building on the one before. Here is what the journey looks like:

The L1 Learning Path

You start by understanding what AI actually is (it is not magic, and it is not sentient). Then you explore real-world applications and get your hands on the tools. Next, you learn the critical skill of prompt engineering, followed by how to evaluate AI outputs with a critical eye. The final stretch covers the essential guardrails: ethics, data awareness, and security.

How Level 1 Is Structured

Each lesson contains multiple chapters. Think of lessons as the big topic areas and chapters as the focused, digestible units you will actually work through. Every chapter includes clear explanations, real-world examples, and practical exercises you can apply immediately.

The total 20 hours breaks down into approximately 8 hours of learning content, 6 hours of interactive exercises, 3 hours of hands-on labs, 2 hours of assessments, and 1 hour of independent study. You can work through the material at your own pace over 4 to 6 weeks, or in an intensive cohort format.

The Complete Curriculum

Below is every lesson in Level 1. Click any lesson to dive into its full content and chapters.

1
Understanding Artificial Intelligence
Demystifying AI: what it is, how it works, and where it falls short. From Dartmouth 1956 to GPT-4 and beyond.
3 hours · 4 chapters
2
AI in the Real World
How AI is transforming every major industry, and where it creates opportunities in your specific role.
2 hours · 3 chapters
3
Your First AI Interactions
Hands-on exploration of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Copilot. Set up, navigate, and start creating.
2.5 hours · 3 chapters
4
Prompt Engineering Fundamentals
The art and science of asking AI the right questions. Master clarity, context, and the CRISP framework.
2.5 hours · 4 chapters
5
Evaluating AI Output
How to spot hallucinations, detect bias, and decide when to trust, refine, or reject what AI gives you.
2.5 hours · 4 chapters
6
Ethics & Responsible AI Use
Privacy, copyright, fairness, and organizational policy. The ethical foundation every AI user needs.
2 hours · 4 chapters
7
Data Awareness & Literacy
How data powers AI, why quality matters, and how regulations like GDPR and CCPA affect you.
2 hours · 3 chapters
8
AI Safety & Security
Prompt injection, deepfakes, data leakage, and the security practices that protect you and your organization.
2 hours · 3 chapters

How You Are Assessed

Level 1 assessment is designed to confirm you can do the work, not just remember facts. The evaluation combines three components:

Component Weight What It Measures
Knowledge Quizzes 40% 8 module quizzes (5 questions each) plus one comprehensive exam covering all topics
Practical Exercises 35% Hands-on AI interactions, prompt engineering, and output evaluation tasks demonstrating real competency
Reflection Paper 25% 1,000-word reflection on how AI impacts your role and industry, demonstrating ethical reasoning

You need a 70% overall score plus satisfactory completion of all 8 hands-on labs to earn your Level 1: AI Aware certification.

What Happens After Level 1

Earning your L1 certification qualifies you to advance to Level 2: AI Practitioner, where you will move from understanding AI to actively integrating it into your workflows, building automations, and measuring real business impact. Level 2 takes approximately 60 hours and transforms you from an informed observer into a skilled practitioner.

But Level 1 alone is valuable. In a world where most professionals have no formal AI training, your L1: AI Aware certification demonstrates initiative, competence, and the kind of growth mindset that employers increasingly value.

Ready to Begin?

Start with Lesson 1: Understanding Artificial Intelligence. It takes about 3 hours and will fundamentally change how you think about this technology.

On This Page
Level 1 At a Glance
Difficulty Beginner
Prerequisites None
Duration 4-6 weeks
Study Hours 20 hours
Passing Score 70%
Format Self-paced / Cohort
Standards DOL, NIST, ISO, EU AI Act
Certification Path
L1 AI Aware You are here
L2 AI Practitioner L3 AI Specialist L4 AI Architect L5 AI Visionary