In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, natural language processing (NLP) technologies like ChatGPT have become integral parts of our daily lives. From customer service chatbots to smart assistants, these AI-powered systems are revolutionizing how we interact with technology. However, the full potential of these language models requires more than just using them out of the box. It demands good understanding of prompt engineering—the art of crafting effective inputs to obtain desired outputs from these models.

For those looking to excel in the field of AI, prompt engineering courses offer invaluable insights and skills. These courses delve into the complexity of designing prompts, managing biases, and optimizing model interactions. By becoming proficient in prompt engineering, individuals can unlock the complete potential of ChatGPT and similar models, empowering them to create more intelligent and responsive applications.

Here are the 7 best free prompt engineering courses and resources tailored for ChatGPT enthusiasts, each offering unique perspectives and practical knowledge to navigate the exciting world of AI-driven conversational interfaces.

Key Factors

The selection of these courses was based on several criteria to ensure they provide valuable insights and practical knowledge specifically tailored for prompt engineering with ChatGPT:

• Relevance to Prompt Engineering: Each course focuses on prompt engineering, providing guidance on how to craft effective prompts, manage biases, and optimize interactions with language models like ChatGPT.
• Quality of Content: The courses chosen are from reputable institutions, organizations, and experts known for their expertise in AI, NLP, and prompt engineering.
• Free Availability: All the listed courses are freely accessible, making them more accessible for individuals interested in learning prompt engineering without financial barriers.
• User Ratings and Reviews: Courses with positive user feedback and high ratings were given priority, indicating their effectiveness and usefulness for learners.
• Diversity of Topics: The selection includes a variety of courses covering different aspects of prompt engineering, from foundational concepts to practical applications.
• Practicality: Courses that offer hands-on exercises, case studies, or interactive elements were prioritized, as they provide a more engaging and practical learning experience.

By considering these factors, the list aims to offer a well-rounded selection of free prompt engineering courses and resources that can benefit ChatGPT enthusiasts looking to enhance their skills and understanding in this specialized field.

Top 7 Free ChatGPT Prompt Engineering Courses and Resources

Here is a list of top 7 free ChatGPT prompt engineering courses and resources:

1. OpenAI and DeepLearning.AI: ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers
2. LearnPrompting.org: Introductory Course On Prompt Engineering
3. Coursera: Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT
4. Prompt Engineering Guide
5. OpenAI: Prompt Engineering Best Practices
6. Prompt Engineering Institute: Master Prompt Engineering
7. DALL-E 2 Prompt Book

Let us dive deeper into each course details.

1. OpenAI and DeepLearning.AI: ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers

Why Take This Course:

• Gain insights into ChatGPT prompt engineering by experts from OpenAI and DeepLearning.AI, Isa Fulford and Andrew Ng.
• Learn how to leverage large language models (LLMs) through API calls for building AI applications.
• Focuses on prompt engineering best practices for software development, including common use cases like summarizing, inferring, transforming, and expanding.
• Provides practical guidance on building a chatbot using an LLM.

Availability:

• The course features nine video chapters and is available for free.

What It Offers:

• An introduction to prompt engineering and guidelines for effective prompts.
• Covers iterative approaches to prompt creation, including summarizing, inferring, transforming, and expanding.
• Provides insights on leveraging the power of LLMs through API calls for quick AI application development.
• Practical examples and step-by-step guidance on building a chatbot using LLMs.

Distinguishing Factors:

• Unlike other prompt engineering courses, this one focuses on using API calls to harness LLMs for rapid AI application development.
• Offers insights into building AI applications beyond just prompt creation for ChatGPT’s web interface.
• Taught by experts from OpenAI and DeepLearning.AI, providing a blend of industry knowledge and practical application.
• Emphasizes real-world use cases and scenarios for prompt engineering in software development.

2. LearnPrompting.org: Introductory Course On Prompt Engineering

Why Take This Course:

• Learn prompt engineering from scratch to mastery with LearnPrompting’s free Introductory Course.
• Described as “the most comprehensive prompt engineering course available,” catering to beginners while offering advanced techniques.
• Covers topics from an introduction to AI to advanced prompt engineering, making it suitable for learners of all levels.

Availability:

• The course is free and offers a wide range of lessons, organized from beginner to advanced levels.

What It Offers:

• Detailed exploration of prompt engineering complexities, serving as foundational material for many other prompt engineering courses.
• Topics include prompt types, giving instructions, role prompting, few-shot prompting, combining techniques, formalizing prompts, chatbot basics, understanding AI minds, and more.
• Provides examples, visual aids, and real-world applications to enhance learning and provide context.
• Chapters cover Basic Applications, Intermediate, Applied Prompting, Advanced Applications, Reliability, Image Prompting, Prompt Hacking, Tools, Prompt Tuning, and more.

Distinguishing Factors:

• LearnPrompting’s course is recommended by industry experts for its thoroughness and effectiveness.
• Modules are well-organized, easy to navigate, and packed with high-quality prompt engineering content.
• Used as foundational material in many other prompt engineering courses, highlighting its credibility and value.
• Ideal for those interested in using prompt engineering for marketing, advertising, and content creation.

3. Coursera: Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT

Why Take This Course:

• The Coursera Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT course, taught by Jules White, offers a comprehensive six-week program.
• Ideal for those looking to delve into the basics and complexities of prompt engineering for ChatGPT.
• Includes over 30 videos totaling almost nine hours of learning, along with written discourses on the topic.
• Topics covered include Course Introduction, Introduction to Prompts, Few-Shot Examples, and various Prompt Patterns.

Availability:

• Course materials are free to access.
• Optional: Students can choose to take the weekly tests and receive a certificate of completion for $49.

What It Offers:

• Detailed exploration of prompt engineering concepts and techniques by an associate professor of Computer Science at Vanderbilt University.
• Covers fundamental concepts like Prompt Patterns, Few-Shot Examples, and advanced Prompt Patterns for enhancing AI outputs.
• Approximately 18 hours of coursework to gain a deep understanding of prompt engineering for ChatGPT.
• Provides practical insights and strategies for controlling AI outputs and reducing biases through effective prompt engineering.

Distinguishing Factors:

• Recommended by industry experts like Denise Hemke, Chief Product Officer at Checkr, for its comprehensive coverage and practical application.
• Ideal for individuals aiming to enhance their AI engineering skills and potentially command high salaries in this in-demand field.
• Offers a structured learning path from basics to advanced prompt patterns, providing a solid foundation in prompt engineering for ChatGPT.

4. Prompt Engineering Guide

Why Take This Course:

• The Prompt Engineering Guide offers a comprehensive look at prompt engineering and large language models (LLMs), making it an invaluable resource for learners in this field.
• It covers a wide range of topics from LLM settings to advanced prompt patterns like Chain-of-Thought and Multimodal CoT.
• Ideal for those seeking to deepen their understanding of prompt engineering techniques and applications.

Availability:

• The guide is accessible online for free, providing learning guides, models, lectures, and references related to prompt engineering.
• Additionally, it includes a curated list of research papers and an alphabetized directory of large language models and generative AI applications.

What It Offers:

• Detailed exploration of prompt engineering concepts, including prompt design, zero-shot prompting, few-shot prompting, and more.
• Provides learning guides, models, lectures, and references, offering a comprehensive learning experience.
• Covers a wide range of large language models such as Flan, ChatGPT, LLaMA, and GPT-4, enhancing understanding of various model capabilities.
• Features an alphabetized directory of large language models and generative AI applications, serving as a valuable reference.

Distinguishing Factors:

• The guide is not structured as a traditional course but offers a wealth of information equivalent to a comprehensive course on prompt engineering.
• Includes cutting-edge topics such as adversarial prompting, factuality, and biases, keeping learners up-to-date with the latest advancements.
• Collaboration with Maven Learning for an upcoming full course on Prompt Engineering for LLMs, indicating the guide’s credibility and value.
• Offers practical insights and tools to enhance understanding and application of prompt engineering techniques.

5. OpenAI: Prompt Engineering Best Practices

Why Take This Course:

• OpenAI’s “Prompt Engineering Best Practices” course offers a foundational understanding of prompt design, essential for beginners in the field.
• Step-by-step instructions guide learners through techniques such as separating instructions from content, using descriptive language, and defining output formats.
• Learn about zero-shot vs. one-shot, few-shot prompting, and effective language usage for prompts.

Availability:

• The course is available online for free, directly from OpenAI’s platform.
• Learners can access the course at their convenience, making it easy to fit into busy schedules.

What It Offers:

• Covering the absolute basics of prompt engineering, this course focuses on fundamental practices.
• Examples and demonstrations accompany the lessons, providing clarity and practical application.
• With a duration of about 10–15 minutes, it is a quick and efficient way to grasp essential prompt engineering concepts.

Distinguishing Factors:

• Developed by the creators of ChatGPT, this course provides insights directly from the developers.
• Geared towards beginners, it ensures accessibility for those new to prompt engineering.
• With a short duration, it offers a concise overview without overwhelming learners.

6. Prompt Engineering Institute: Master Prompt Engineering

Why Take This Course:

• The “Master Prompt Engineering” course delves deep into prompt engineering and large language models (LLMs), providing a thorough understanding of these concepts.
• With 15 chapters, learners are guided through essential topics such as effective prompts, LLM embedding, Chain of Thought (CoT) prompting, and more.
• Authored by Sunil Ramlochan, this course benefits from his expertise in the field, offering valuable insights and techniques.

Availability:

• The course is available free on the PromptEngineering website.
• Learners can access the course material at any time, allowing for flexible learning schedules.

What It Offers:

• Each chapter covers specific aspects of prompt engineering and LLMs, from the basics to advanced techniques.
• The course follows a logical progression, starting with foundational concepts and building up to advanced topics like CoT prompting and AI priming.
• Learners gain knowledge on how to create effective prompts for generative AI models like ChatGPT, enhancing their practical skills.

Distinguishing Factors:

• Despite the website’s presentation, the course material itself is well-written and easily understood, making complex concepts accessible.
• Sunil Ramlochan’s expertise adds credibility and depth to the course, ensuring learners receive quality education.
• Emphasis on driving useful prompts from generative AI models, making the learning directly applicable to real-world scenarios.

7. DALL-E 2 Prompt Book

Why Use this Book:

• This digital book serves as a concise introduction to AI art prompting, offering insights into creating prompts for generative models like DALL-E 2.
• It provides thousands of prompt snippets that can be used to define images, sparking creativity and exploration.
• The prompts in the book are not limited to DALL-E 2 and can be utilized with other generative models as well.

Availability:

• The DALL-E 2 Prompt Book is available in a digital format, allowing easy access from various devices.
• Users can refer to it at their own pace, using it as a source of inspiration and reference for AI art projects.

What It Offers:

• Explore a wide range of prompt snippets designed to inspire and guide the creation of AI-generated art.
• Apart from prompts, the book includes insights into camera settings and lenses, aiding in the visualization process.
• The book is rich in visual content, including images and examples of prompts, making it engaging and practical for learners.

Distinguishing Factors:

• Suitable for learners at all levels, from beginners to advanced users of generative AI models.
• Whether you’re a novice exploring AI art or an experienced artist seeking new ideas, this book offers something for everyone.
• Provides practical examples and explanations alongside inspirational prompts, fostering both learning and creativity.

End Note

These 7 free prompt engineering courses and resources offer a wealth of knowledge for individuals interested in maximizing the potential of ChatGPT and similar language models. From introductory concepts to advanced techniques, learners can explore various aspects of prompt engineering, including effective prompt design, managing biases, and optimizing model interactions.

Each course provides unique insights and practical skills, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of prompt engineering’s role in AI development. Whether you’re a beginner looking to grasp the fundamentals or an experienced practitioner seeking advanced strategies, these courses cater to diverse learning needs. Embrace the opportunity to delve into these resources and empower yourself to create more intelligent and responsive AI applications with ChatGPT.

Our genAI program offers cutting-edge technology to enhance your skills in prompt engineering. Learn how to create powerful prompts that drive AI-generated content. Are you ready to take your skills to the next level? Enroll now to unlock the full potential of genAI!