Best AI and GenAI Courses in India for Beginners in 2026

The Future Belongs to AI Learners

Artificial Intelligence is no longer an optional skill, it’s the core of how industries work in 2026. From marketing campaigns crafted by ChatGPT to business workflows automated by AI agents, every sector is being redefined. Learning AI now can help you leap ahead in career trends, outpace competitors, and secure opportunities that go beyond traditional roles.

I’m Riten, founder of Fueler - a skills-first portfolio platform that connects talented individuals with companies through assignments, portfolios, and projects, not just resumes/CVs. Think Dribbble/Behance for work samples + AngelList for hiring infrastructure

So if you’ve ever wondered which AI and GenAI course is worth your time and effort, here’s a detailed list of the best programs in India that can help you build a strong AI-driven career in 2026.

1. Generative AI by Google and DeepLearning.AI

This free, beginner-friendly course jointly offered by Google and DeepLearning.AI is designed to give you a solid foundation in how generative models work and how they power tools you already use every day, like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Gemini. It covers everything from text generation to image synthesis with a focus on business applications.

• Each lesson introduces a real-world business problem and explains how generative AI can improve efficiency or creativity in solving it, making concepts easy to grasp for absolute beginners.
• You’ll get hands-on training with Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, including prompt design, model tuning, and workflow automation, so you can apply your learning directly to business or startup use cases.
• The course also includes interviews with AI innovators such as Andrew Ng and Google engineers who break down what’s coming next in AI for business and how learners can prepare for it.
• Once completed, you receive a globally recognized certification that strengthens your credibility for roles that demand AI familiarity.

Why it matters: This course helps you quickly understand AI fundamentals and prepares you to apply them in projects that show strong business impact, an essential skill for the future.

2. Advanced Generative AI by IIT Madras (NPTEL)

Offered through SWAYAM, IIT Madras’ Advanced Generative AI course is for learners who want academic-level rigor and robust practical exposure at the same time. The professors here dive deep into algorithms that power GenAI and guide students through lab sessions that mirror real-world applications.

• The course breaks down architectures like GANs, diffusion models, and transformers, explaining how they form the backbone of generative content creation, data synthesis, and model training.
• You’ll practice implementation using TensorFlow and PyTorch, learning to train models from scratch, measure accuracy, and optimize for cost and speed a crucial skill for developers.
• A large portion is dedicated to ethical AI, governance, and responsible deployment of models, preparing you for enterprise AI challenges and compliance standards.
• At the end, students complete a graded project certified by IIT Madras, adding a strong academic credential to your portfolio.

Why it matters: The program gives you a research-backed approach and hands-on expertise, which is invaluable when applying AI in scalable and high-value projects.

3. Applied Generative AI Course by UpGrad and IIIT Bangalore

This course focuses on practical business applications of Generative AI using modern tools like ChatGPT, LangChain, and Hugging Face. UpGrad, partnered with IIIT Bangalore, ensures that learners gain not just theoretical understanding but project-ready implementation experience.

• Learners explore case studies from top Indian startups on how GenAI is used for product marketing, customer support automation, and user personalization, which makes it uniquely relevant to Indian job markets.
• Detailed modules teach you prompt engineering, RAG (retrieval augmented generation), and how to integrate GenAI into apps or business systems using APIs.
• Each section includes guided capstone projects where you apply tools like OpenAI API and Streamlit to build real portfolio examples such as chatbots or content systems.
• Mentorship support and placement assistance help ensure your learnings can be immediately translated into freelancing or full-time opportunities.

Why it matters: The course bridges technical learning and business results, giving you an edge when presenting real AI-based projects in your portfolio.

4. AI for Everyone by Coursera (Andrew Ng)

This popular beginner-friendly course demystifies what AI can and can’t do. It is not heavy on coding, yet powerful in helping professionals from marketing, entrepreneurship, or project management understand how to use AI effectively.

• The lessons focus on building AI adoption strategy, evaluating whether a business process is AI-ready, and making informed decisions about automation versus human work.
• You’ll learn through simple yet detailed analogy-driven explanations that clarify confusing AI concepts, such as supervised learning, ML pipelines, and generative models.
• Each module includes discussions on how different industries are integrating AI, helping you identify the right career direction for your field.
• The certificate from Coursera and DeepLearning.AI offers credibility across global companies recognizing AI literacy.

Why it matters: A great starting point if you want to transition into AI without coding, it builds the confidence and strategic thinking needed before diving into technical training.

5. Executive Programme in Generative AI by IIM Kozhikode

For business professionals looking to lead AI-driven transformation, this executive program by IIM Kozhikode is among the few management-level courses that blend leadership with AI fluency.

• It covers GenAI in finance, marketing, and HR, showing exactly how automation, personalization, and predictive modeling reshape organizational strategies.
• Sessions include workshops on prompt optimization, AI policy design, and impact analysis so you can make smarter AI adoption decisions.
• You collaborate on a real corporate-style project, mentored by IIM faculty and industry leaders, bringing AI-driven innovation to life.
• By the end, learners gain a certificate that adds serious credibility for leadership or consultancy roles in AI-powered businesses.

Why it matters: This program equips professionals to manage AI adoption and lead AI-inspired innovation, skills that are crucial in 2026’s data-driven corporate world.

6. Full Stack AI & Machine Learning Program by GreatLearning

This comprehensive course helps you move from basic AI principles to expert-level implementation covering machine learning, NLP, and generative models.

• The course begins with Python foundations, transitions to advanced data science topics, and eventually introduces you to the world of Generative AI through practical case studies.
• You’ll build projects such as AI-powered recommendation engines, chatbots, and generative language systems tailored for different industries.
• GreatLearning offers 1:1 mentorship sessions and feedback loops with industry experts that enhance personal learning.
• Courses include career support, including mock interviews and LinkedIn review sessions, to help learners showcase their GenAI skills effectively.

Why it matters: It’s one of the most balanced paths for beginners who aim to become full-time AI engineers or data scientists over time.

7. Creative Generative AI Course by Skillshare

If you are a designer, writer, or creator, this course is a creative approach to understanding how AI tools can be used for art, storytelling, and media production.

• The lessons cover practical tools like Midjourney, Runway ML, and D-ID, showing how to ideate, script, and create AI-generated visuals and videos.
• It explains workflows for combining GenAI tools so that creatives can scale their output from campaigns to reels without technical complexity.
• The course integrates quick projects that learners can use directly in their online portfolios or social channels to attract freelance work.
• Multiple creators contribute, making the course diverse in both learning and project exposure.

Why it matters: Perfect for Gen Z creators, it helps you use AI creatively for personal branding or professional freelancing in 2026.

Show Your Work on Fueler

After finishing any of these courses, create real projects and share your work samples on Fueler. It’s a skills-first portfolio platform where professionals can showcase assignments, AI projects, and client work directly. This helps hiring teams see what you can do, not just what certificates you hold making portfolios your biggest career asset.

Final Thoughts

AI skills are no longer optional, they define career momentum. Whether you’re a student exploring GenAI or a professional trying to lead AI innovation, these courses set the foundation for success. The right learning choice today can help you build a portfolio that opens new freelance and full-time opportunities by 2026.

FAQs

1. What are the best free AI courses for beginners in 2026?

Google’s Generative AI course, AI for Everyone by Coursera, and Skillshare’s Creative AI course are top free or low-cost options for starters.

2. Which Indian institutes offer recognized Generative AI certifications?

IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, and IIM Kozhikode currently offer certified programs through NPTEL and executive education formats.

3. Can non-coders learn Generative AI in 2026?

Yes. Many courses like “AI for Everyone” or “Applied AI by UpGrad” focus on no-code tools, making AI accessible to marketing, design, and writing professionals.

4. What kind of projects should I showcase to get an AI job?

Create smaller projects like AI-powered chatbots, content generators, or image models and display them on your portfolio platform such as Fueler to demonstrate real capability.

5. Is it worth investing in paid AI courses?

Paid courses with mentorship, projects, and certification help accelerate your learning and improve your resume value compared to free tutorials.

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