Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic idea—it’s a reality shaping education, workplaces, and daily life. From personalized playlists and navigation apps to advanced tools that generate text, images, and video, AI is embedded in the technologies we use every day. As these systems grow more powerful, students and professionals alike need the skills to understand, question, and use AI effectively. This is the foundation of AI literacy.

The AI Literacy for Career & College Success microcredential is designed to give you those skills. Rooted in the UNESCO Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021), Digital Promise’s AI Literacy Framework (2023), and the Student Guide to AI (2025), this program prepares you to navigate AI with clarity and confidence. It also aligns with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Career Readiness Competencies, particularly the Technology competency, which emphasizes using technology ethically and effectively to achieve goals in academic and professional settings. Over the course of this Pressbook, you will:

• Understand what AI is and isn’t—including the difference between predictive, generative, and machine learning tools

• Recognize AI in the real world, from entertainment platforms to healthcare and hiring systems.

• Use AI effectively by selecting the right tools, crafting strong prompts, and evaluating outputs for accuracy and reliability.

• Use AI responsibly, applying ethical frameworks that address bias, misinformation, privacy, and environmental impact

• Prepare for the future with AI, reflecting on how these technologies will shape your career and how you can shape them in return

By completing this microcredential, you will not only gain practical strategies for working with AI but also develop the critical thinking and ethical judgment needed to thrive in an AI-driven world. The culminating project will challenge you to investigate AI in a field that interests you, applying everything you’ve learned to a real-world, career-connected context

This work is not about memorizing tools that will soon be replaced or updated. Instead, it is about building habits of inquiry, discernment, and responsible innovation that will last no matter how AI evolves.