Status. An Unjargoned certificate of achievement. It is not a regulated qualification, and it is not CPD accredited at the time of writing. Each certificate has its own number and can be checked by anyone at unjargoned.com/verify.
1. Overview
The Unjargoned AI Certificate teaches people to use AI tools well, safely and with judgement, at the level they are at. It has three levels. Each one stands alone: a learner can start at the level that fits them, and each ends in its own certificate.
| Level | For | Units | Learning time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 Certificate in AI Essentials | Beginner learners | 6 | About 1 hour 30 minutes | £29 |
| Level 2 Certificate in AI in Practice | Intermediate learners | 6 | About 1 hour 45 minutes | £39 |
| Level 3 Certificate in Advanced AI | Advanced learners | 6 | About 1 hour 45 minutes | £59 |
All three levels together cost £99. Prices include VAT. Learning time is worked out from each unit’s reading, practice and unit check, plus about 18 minutes for the final assessment.
2. How learners learn
- Online and self-paced, on a phone or a computer. Each unit is 11 to 14 short screens of teaching and practice, with feedback on every answer.
- Practice takes six forms: choosing the best answer, sorting into groups, putting steps in order, spotting the wrong sentence in an AI’s reply, choosing the better of two prompts, and trying a task in a real AI tool.
- Every specialist term is explained where it first appears, in the words of the Unjargoned Learning Hub.
- Progress is saved as the learner goes, so they can stop and pick up later on any device they sign in on.
3. Assessment and grading
Unit checks
Each unit ends with a check of 5 questions drawn from a bank of 8. Getting 4 right completes the unit. A learner can retake a check as often as they need, with a fresh draw of questions, and sees why each answer is right.
The final assessment
It opens once all 6 units are complete: 24 multiple-choice questions, 4 from each unit’s bank of 6, in 40 minutes. Answers save as the learner goes, the paper is handed in when time runs out, and only answers saved in time count. A learner can start it up to 3 times in 24 hours.
Grades
| Grade | Final assessment mark |
|---|---|
| Distinction | 90% or more |
| Merit | 80% to 89% |
| Pass | 70% to 79% |
Integrity
- Every marked question assesses one named learning outcome. The banks hold 252 questions across the three levels, each with four options.
- The banks never reach the learner’s browser. The server draws the questions, shuffles each one’s options, keeps the clock and marks the answers.
4. The certificate
- A two-page PDF: the certificate (name, level, grade, date, number and a QR code), and a record of achievement listing the units and learning outcomes met.
- Each certificate has its own number and a public page where anyone can check it is real, such as an employer.
- Learners can add it to their LinkedIn profile and order a printed copy, posted in the UK, for £10.
- Refunds: in full within 14 days of buying, unless the certificate has been claimed. A certificate can be withdrawn if it was issued in error, and its check page then says so.
5. Quality and fairness
- The content is checked automatically against written rules before any change goes live: screen lengths, a mix of practice, every term defined, four options for every question, right answers that can’t be guessed from their length, and UK English.
- Learners can report a problem with any screen or question through the help chat on every page, and the team logs and answers each report.
- The course pages pass automated WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility checks, on computers and phones.
Level 1 Certificate in AI Essentials
For anyone starting out with AI. You learn what AI is and isn’t, how to have useful conversations with an AI assistant, how to check what it tells you, and how to keep yourself, your money and your information safe.
Who it’s for
- You’ve heard a lot about AI but haven’t really used it
- You’ve tried a chatbot and weren’t sure what to make of it
- You want a calm, plain-English start, with no maths and no jargon
- You help someone else, a parent or a colleague, get started
Before starting: None. If you can send an email, you can do this course.
What a learner can do at the end
- Explain what AI is, and what it can and can’t do, in your own words
- Hold a useful conversation with an AI assistant and improve its answers
- Write clear prompts for everyday tasks
- Check an AI answer before you rely on it
- Keep your personal information safe and spot AI scams and fakes
Learning time: about 1 hour 30 minutes. Price: £29.
Units, learning outcomes and assessment criteria
Unit 1.1What AI is, and what it isn’t (about 12 minutes)
What people mean by AI, where you already meet it, and how an AI assistant comes up with its answers.
Outcome 1. The learner will understand what artificial intelligence is
- The learner can describe AI in plain English
- The learner can give examples of AI in everyday life
- The learner can explain how AI differs from ordinary software that follows fixed rules
Outcome 2. The learner will understand what AI assistants do
- The learner can describe what an AI assistant, or chatbot, does
- The learner can explain that an assistant predicts likely words rather than looking facts up
- The learner can describe some things AI does well and some it does badly
Unit 1.2Your first conversations with AI (about 13 minutes)
Starting a chat, asking a clear question, following up, and knowing which jobs suit an AI assistant.
Outcome 1. The learner will know how to start and steer a conversation with an AI assistant
- The learner can name some widely used AI assistants
- The learner can start a chat and ask a clear question
- The learner can use follow-up messages to improve an answer
- The learner can know when to start a new chat
Outcome 2. The learner will know which everyday tasks suit an AI assistant
- The learner can identify tasks an assistant helps with well
- The learner can identify tasks to avoid, or to check with a person
Unit 1.3Asking well: prompts that work (about 12 minutes)
A simple recipe for clear prompts, and how to improve an answer when the first one misses.
Outcome 1. The learner will write clear prompts
- The learner can include the task, the background and what a good answer looks like
- The learner can ask for a format, a length and a tone
- The learner can give an example of what you want
Outcome 2. The learner will improve answers step by step
- The learner can give specific feedback on an answer
- The learner can ask the assistant to ask you questions first
- The learner can recognise a vague prompt and fix it
Unit 1.4Checking what AI tells you (about 12 minutes)
Why AI gets things wrong while sounding sure, and quick ways to check an answer before you rely on it.
Outcome 1. The learner will understand why AI makes mistakes
- The learner can explain what a hallucination is
- The learner can explain why an assistant can be out of date
- The learner can recognise that a confident answer isn’t always a correct one
Outcome 2. The learner will check AI answers
- The learner can check facts against trusted sources
- The learner can recognise warning signs in an answer
- The learner can know when to ask a qualified person, such as a doctor, pharmacist or adviser
Unit 1.5Staying safe and private (about 12 minutes)
What not to share with an AI assistant, the privacy settings worth knowing, and how to spot AI scams and fakes.
Outcome 1. The learner will protect personal information when using AI
- The learner can identify information you shouldn’t share
- The learner can use privacy settings and temporary chats
- The learner can understand that chats may be stored and sometimes reviewed
Outcome 2. The learner will recognise AI scams and fakes
- The learner can describe voice cloning and deepfakes
- The learner can use simple checks, such as a family safe word and calling back on a number you know
- The learner can know what to do if you think you’ve been targeted
Unit 1.6Putting AI to work in everyday life (about 12 minutes)
Using AI to write, plan, learn and get things done, fairly and in your own voice.
Outcome 1. The learner will use AI for practical everyday tasks
- The learner can use AI to draft, plan, explain and summarise
- The learner can adapt what AI writes so it sounds like you
- The learner can choose a few uses to build into your week
Outcome 2. The learner will use AI fairly and responsibly
- The learner can recognise bias in what AI produces
- The learner can be open about using AI where it matters
- The learner can decide when not to use AI
Level 2 Certificate in AI in Practice
For people who already use AI and want consistently good results. You learn how assistants really work, prompting techniques that hold up, how to work with your own documents and data, how to check and take responsibility for AI-assisted work, and how to use AI at work safely and lawfully.
Who it’s for
- You use an AI assistant now and then, and want better results
- You use AI at work and want to do it properly
- You want to understand why answers vary, and what to do about it
- You’ve finished AI Essentials, or already know what it covers
Before starting: Some experience of using an AI assistant. AI Essentials (Level 1) covers what you need.
What a learner can do at the end
- Explain how AI assistants work, including context, memory and knowledge cutoffs
- Use structured prompting techniques and reusable templates
- Work with your own documents and data, and check the results
- Use AI at work in line with policy, data protection and copyright
- Build AI into your routine and measure whether it helps
Learning time: about 1 hour 45 minutes. Price: £39.
Units, learning outcomes and assessment criteria
Unit 2.1How AI assistants really work (about 12 minutes)
Models, apps and tools; context windows, memory and knowledge cutoffs; and why the same question gets different answers.
Outcome 1. The learner will understand the main parts of an AI assistant
- The learner can distinguish the model from the app and its tools, such as web search and file reading
- The learner can explain context windows and memory in plain English
- The learner can explain what a knowledge cutoff means for answers
Outcome 2. The learner will understand why answers vary
- The learner can explain why the same prompt can give different answers
- The learner can explain why long conversations can drift
- The learner can decide when to start a fresh chat
Unit 2.2Prompting techniques that hold up (about 13 minutes)
Roles, audiences, constraints and examples; breaking work into steps; and getting AI to critique and improve its own work.
Outcome 1. The learner will use structured prompting techniques
- The learner can set a role, an audience and constraints
- The learner can use examples to show the style and format you want
- The learner can break a larger task into steps
Outcome 2. The learner will use AI to improve work
- The learner can ask for options and trade-offs, not just one answer
- The learner can ask AI to critique a draft and revise it
- The learner can build reusable prompt templates
Unit 2.3Working with documents and data (about 13 minutes)
Summarising and questioning long documents, pulling out what matters, and analysing data without being misled by it.
Outcome 1. The learner will use AI with your own documents
- The learner can summarise and question long documents
- The learner can extract information into tables or lists
- The learner can ask for quotes or locations to check against the original
Outcome 2. The learner will use AI to analyse data
- The learner can describe a dataset clearly to an assistant
- The learner can check calculations, totals and charts
- The learner can explain the limits of AI with numbers
Unit 2.4Quality control: checking and owning the result (about 13 minutes)
A routine for checking AI-assisted work, checking sources properly, and taking responsibility for what you publish or send.
Outcome 1. The learner will check AI output systematically
- The learner can check claims by reading other sources
- The learner can check that a cited source exists and says what is claimed
- The learner can cross-check important answers with a second source or model
Outcome 2. The learner will take responsibility for AI-assisted work
- The learner can review for accuracy, tone and fairness
- The learner can be open about AI use where it matters
- The learner can keep a person responsible for decisions
Unit 2.5Using AI at work safely and lawfully (about 14 minutes)
Work policies, business and personal accounts, personal data under UK GDPR, copyright and confidentiality, and decisions about people.
Outcome 1. The learner will handle work information safely
- The learner can follow an organisation’s AI policy
- The learner can explain the difference between business and personal accounts
- The learner can recognise personal data, which UK GDPR protects
Outcome 2. The learner will understand legal and ethical risks
- The learner can describe copyright and confidentiality risks
- The learner can recognise the risk of bias in decisions about people
- The learner can know when AI shouldn’t be used
Unit 2.6Building AI into how you work (about 15 minutes)
Turning one-off chats into repeatable workflows, and measuring whether AI really saves time.
Outcome 1. The learner will design repeatable AI workflows
- The learner can map a task into steps AI can help with
- The learner can use custom instructions, projects or saved prompts
- The learner can use AI for meetings, writing and research
Outcome 2. The learner will measure and improve
- The learner can time a task before and after
- The learner can decide whether a paid tool is worth it
- The learner can keep a personal AI playbook
Level 3 Certificate in Advanced AI
For people who build, buy or lead the use of AI for others. You learn how models are made and why they fail, how to test AI before you trust it, how automation and agents work and fail, and how to handle data protection, security, governance and adoption across a team.
Who it’s for
- You lead a team or a project that uses AI
- You choose, buy or set up AI tools for other people
- You build automations or apps with AI
- You’ve finished AI in Practice, or already know what it covers
Before starting: Regular, confident use of AI. AI in Practice (Level 2) covers what you need.
What a learner can do at the end
- Explain how large language models are built and why they fail
- Design and run an evaluation before trusting an AI tool
- Plan automations and agents with the right controls
- Apply UK data protection and security principles to AI
- Set up governance, and lead a team through adoption
Learning time: about 1 hour 45 minutes. Price: £59.
Units, learning outcomes and assessment criteria
Unit 3.1Inside the models (about 13 minutes)
Pretraining, fine-tuning and human feedback; tokens, context and reasoning; open and closed models; and why models fail.
Outcome 1. The learner will understand how large language models are built
- The learner can describe pretraining, fine-tuning and learning from human feedback
- The learner can explain tokens, context windows and reasoning modes
- The learner can compare open-weight and closed models
Outcome 2. The learner will understand why models fail
- The learner can explain hallucination, sycophancy and bias
- The learner can explain retrieval-augmented generation and when it helps
Unit 3.2Evaluating AI: test before you trust (about 13 minutes)
Defining success, building a test set, comparing fairly, and keeping watch when models and prompts change.
Outcome 1. The learner will design an evaluation
- The learner can define what success looks like for a task
- The learner can build a test set that reflects real use, including hard cases
- The learner can use rubrics and blind comparisons
Outcome 2. The learner will run evaluations and act on them
- The learner can measure accuracy and consistency
- The learner can analyse failures to find their causes
- The learner can test again when models or prompts change
Unit 3.3Automation and agents (about 14 minutes)
Chains, workflows and agents; tools and connectors; where people approve; and the risks, from prompt injection to runaway actions.
Outcome 1. The learner will understand AI workflows and agents
- The learner can distinguish prompt chains, fixed workflows and agents
- The learner can describe how tools and connectors give AI access to other systems
- The learner can decide where a person must approve an action
Outcome 2. The learner will manage the risks of automation
- The learner can explain prompt injection
- The learner can apply least privilege to AI tools
- The learner can plan for failures, monitoring and a way to stop
Unit 3.4Data protection and security (about 14 minutes)
Applying UK GDPR to AI, checking suppliers properly, and closing the common ways data leaks.
Outcome 1. The learner will apply UK data protection principles to AI
- The learner can identify personal data in an AI use
- The learner can explain lawful basis, data minimisation and retention
- The learner can know when a data protection impact assessment is needed
Outcome 2. The learner will assess AI suppliers and security
- The learner can check a supplier’s training defaults, retention and processing terms
- The learner can require access controls such as single sign-on and audit logs
- The learner can reduce the risk of data leaking through AI tools
Unit 3.5Governance, risk and the law (about 13 minutes)
An AI policy and register that people use, proportionate risk assessment, and the legal landscape in the UK and EU.
Outcome 1. The learner will set up AI governance
- The learner can write an AI policy people can follow
- The learner can keep a register of AI uses, each with an owner
- The learner can assess risk in proportion to the use
Outcome 2. The learner will understand the legal landscape
- The learner can describe the UK’s approach and the role of regulators
- The learner can describe the EU AI Act’s risk-based approach and when it can reach UK organisations
- The learner can recognise copyright and equality risks
Unit 3.6Leading AI adoption (about 13 minutes)
Choosing use cases, running pilots that prove something, buying or building, and bringing people with you.
Outcome 1. The learner will choose and prioritise use cases
- The learner can score use cases by value and risk
- The learner can run a pilot with clear measures
- The learner can decide whether to buy or build
Outcome 2. The learner will lead people through change
- The learner can plan training and support
- The learner can talk openly about AI and jobs
- The learner can track costs, benefits and environmental impact