Fundamentals of Generative AI
AWS Skill Builder
Last updated May 20, 2026
Fundamentals of Generative AI is a free, three-hour course that takes someone new to the field from the basics through to the knowledge an AI practitioner is expected to have, and it is built in part as preparation for the AWS Certified AI Practitioner exam. It is taught by an instructor and works through six modules in sequence: the fundamentals of machine learning, then the fundamentals of generative AI, how foundation models are applied with Amazon Bedrock, responsible AI, and the security, compliance, and governance that AI systems need — covering data preparation, model training, deployment, and monitoring along the way. A closing assessment checks what you have taken in. It is a single, condensed pass over the whole landscape rather than a deep dive into any one part.
What you'll learn
- ML fundamentals
- GenAI fundamentals
- Foundation models applied with Amazon Bedrock
- Responsible AI and GenAI's risks
- Security, compliance, governance for AI
- Data prep, training, deployment, monitoring
Frequently asked questions about Fundamentals of Generative AI
Who is Fundamentals of Generative AI for?
Beginners with no prior ML experience who want a single, structured overview of machine learning and generative AI — including anyone preparing for the foundational AI practitioner exam.
Is Fundamentals of Generative AI free?
Yes — Fundamentals of Generative AI is completely free to take.
What are the prerequisites for Fundamentals of Generative AI?
None required; aimed at beginners with no prior machine learning knowledge. Basic familiarity with the AWS Cloud is a benefit.
Why we suggest this course
A structured, single-course grounding in machine learning and generative AI for a complete beginner — and a sensible review for anyone preparing for the foundational AI practitioner exam, since it gathers the ML basics, foundation models, responsible AI, and security and governance into one path. Two things worth knowing: it is a broad overview by design, so it introduces each area rather than teaching it in depth; and it is built by AWS, with its applied sections framed around Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker, so expect the platform framing even though the fundamentals themselves are general.