Anthropic Academy vs OpenAI Academy: Which Free AI Course Should You Take?
Both academies are free, so the right one is the one for the AI tool you use. Anthropic Academy teaches Claude and gives a free certificate on every course, from Claude 101 and AI Fluency to Claude Code and the API. OpenAI Academy teaches ChatGPT and Codex, with tracks for work, building, leadership and teaching, plus live sessions. If your team has not chosen yet, take one beginner course from each and keep the one that fits.
The two companies behind the most-used AI assistants both run free academies now. Neither costs anything, both are well made, and both are written by the people who build the models. So the question is not which is better. It is which one fits the work you do and the tool your team uses.
What does Anthropic Academy teach?
20-plus courses, all free: Claude 101, AI Fluency (with tracks for educators, students, nonprofits and small businesses), Claude Code in Action, the Claude API and MCP.
- AI Fluency: Framework and foundations (Anthropic Academy). Learn to work with AI effectively, efficiently, ethically and safely using the 4D framework. Beginner · 4 hours · Free
- Claude 101 (Anthropic Academy). Learn to use Claude for everyday work, from effective prompting to projects, artifacts, skills and connected tools. Beginner · 2.5 hours · Free
- AI capabilities and limitations (Anthropic Academy). Build an accurate picture of what large language models can and cannot do. Beginner · 3.5 hours · Free
- Claude Code 101 (Anthropic Academy). Learn what Claude Code is, how it works and the core workflows for coding with an AI agent. Intermediate · 1.5 hours · Free
What does OpenAI Academy teach?
Learning tracks for applying AI at work, building with Codex and the API, leading adoption and teaching, plus livestreams and replays.
- AI Foundations (OpenAI Academy). Learn the basics of AI, large language models and ChatGPT, including prompting, context and responsible use. Beginner · Free
- Applied AI Foundations (OpenAI Academy). Learn to turn a recurring task into a repeatable ChatGPT workflow with built-in review points. Intermediate · Free
- Get Started with Codex (OpenAI Academy). Learn to scope repository tasks for Codex, verify its code changes and provide clear review evidence. Intermediate · Free
- AI Leadership (OpenAI Academy). Learn to choose AI opportunities worth backing and lead them from business priority to responsible adoption. Intermediate · Free
How do they compare side by side?
| Anthropic Academy | OpenAI Academy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Certificate | Free certificate of completion on each course | OpenAI Certifications are being piloted with employers and universities |
| Best first course | Claude 101 or AI Fluency | AI Foundations |
| For developers | Claude Code, the API, MCP | Codex and the API |
| For leaders and teachers | AI Fluency tracks for educators, nonprofits, small business | Lead AI Adoption and Teach with AI tracks |
Which one should I choose?
- Your company uses Claude: Anthropic Academy, starting with Claude 101.
- Your company uses ChatGPT: OpenAI Academy, starting with AI Foundations.
- You are a developer: take both. Claude Code 101 and Get Started with Codex each take an afternoon, and the ideas carry across.
- You are not sure yet: Anthropic’s AI Fluency is the most tool-neutral course of the two; it teaches how to work with any assistant.
The skills transfer; the buttons do not. Learning to brief an AI clearly, check its work and know when not to trust it matters more than which logo is on the screen.
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Frequently asked questions
Is OpenAI Academy free?
Yes. OpenAI Academy's learning tracks, livestreams and replays are free. OpenAI is also piloting formal certifications with employers and universities.
Is Anthropic Academy free?
Yes. Every course is free and comes with a certificate of completion.
Which is better for beginners?
Both have good beginner courses. Anthropic's AI Fluency is the most tool-neutral; OpenAI's AI Foundations is the most practical if you already use ChatGPT.
Do I need to code?
No. The beginner courses in both academies need no code. The developer courses (Claude Code, the API, Codex) do.
Can I take both?
Yes, and many people do. Each beginner course takes a few hours.
Not sure where to start? Tell the free learning guide what you do; it builds a path from 402 official courses.
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