AI Free course · Certificate included
Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity & the AI Tool Landscape
Master Gemini, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Perplexity, build integrations and agents, and design a lean, safe multi-tool AI stack
- Intermediate
- 8 h 24 min
- 19 lessons in 7 modules
- 2 h 34 min of video lectures
- Updated Sep 2026
About this course
There is no single best AI tool. Professionals who get the most from AI know which tool fits which job, and why. This course, updated for September 2026, maps the landscape beyond a single assistant and teaches each major platform hands-on: Google Gemini in Workspace, long-context and multimodal work, Gems, Deep Research, Canvas and Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM); Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat, permissions governance and agents built with Copilot Studio; and Perplexity for cited research, Spaces, the Comet browser and the Sonar API.
Integration lessons include working code for the Gemini API and Google Sheets (Apps Script), a declarative agent manifest, and an automated competitor digest. You will also understand open-weight models and run AI locally, choose image, voice and video tools responsibly, compare outputs with a reusable test set, weigh cost, privacy and lock-in, and design your own AI stack with a data rules card. Every lesson includes a narrated lecture and a practical activity.
Tools you’ll use
- Google Gemini
- Gemini Notebook
- Gemini API
- Google Apps Script
- Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Copilot Studio
- Perplexity
- Perplexity Sonar API
- Comet
- Ollama
- LM Studio
- Hugging Face
- ElevenLabs
- Midjourney
- Adobe Firefly
- n8n
Skills
- AI tool selection
- Google Gemini
- Microsoft Copilot
- Perplexity
- Open-weight models
- Generative media
- AI governance
What you’ll be able to do
- Map AI tools into durable categories and evaluate any tool on your own tasks with a fair, blind test
- Use Gemini in Workspace, Gems, Deep Research and Gemini Notebook, and integrate the Gemini API with Sheets
- Use Microsoft 365 Copilot effectively, govern permissions and build narrow agents with Copilot Studio
- Run cited research in Perplexity, organise it in Spaces and automate digests with the Sonar API
- Explain open-weight licences and run a model locally with an OpenAI-compatible API
- Choose image, voice and video tools responsibly, with consent, provenance and disclosure
- Design a lean AI stack using cost per useful output, vendor data terms and portability
Curriculum
Syllabus
- Modules
- 7
- Lessons
- 19
- Reading time
- 5 h
- Assessment questions
- 25
Map AI tools into durable categories, understand the big 2025–2026 shifts, and evaluate any tool on your own tasks in 30 minutes.
- Mapping the AI tool landscape in 2026Video lecture, 8′Video · 15 min
- How to evaluate any AI tool in 30 minutesVideo lecture, 8′15 min
Use Gemini in Workspace and for long-context multimodal work, build Gems, run Deep Research, use Gemini Notebook, and integrate the Gemini API with your tools.
- Gemini in Google WorkspaceVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- Gemini's long context and multimodal skillsVideo lecture, 8′15 min
- Gems, Deep Research, Canvas and Gemini NotebookVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- The Gemini API and Google Workspace integrations, hands-onVideo lecture, 9′20 min
Use Microsoft 365 Copilot across Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, govern work copilots through permissions, and build narrow agents with Copilot Studio.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat in daily workVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- Grounding, permissions and governance for work copilotsVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- Copilot Studio and agents: extending Microsoft 365 CopilotVideo lecture, 8′19 min
Use cited answer engines for fast research, run a repeatable workflow from question to verified brief, and scale research with Spaces, Comet and the Sonar API.
- Perplexity: the cited answer engineVideo lecture, 8′15 min
- Research workflows: from question to verified briefVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- Perplexity for teams: Spaces, Comet and the Sonar APIVideo lecture, 8′18 min
Understand closed vs open-weight models, their licences and trade-offs, and run AI privately on your own computer.
- Open-weight models explainedVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- Running AI locally: a practical introductionVideo lecture, 8′17 min
Choose and use image, voice and video AI tools effectively, with provenance, consent and disclosure built in.
- Image generation tools: choosing and using them wellVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- Voice and video AI: ElevenLabs, HeyGen, Veo and beyondVideo lecture, 8′16 min
Compare outputs with a reusable test set, weigh cost, privacy and lock-in, and design a lean personal or team AI stack with clear data rules.
- Comparing outputs side by sideVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- Cost, privacy and lock-in trade-offsVideo lecture, 8′16 min
- Building your personal AI stackVideo lecture, 9′16 min
- Final assessment
Your certificate
Finish with a credential anyone can check
Earn the Certified Multi-Tool AI Strategist badge: The holder can navigate the 2026 AI tool landscape with confidence: using and integrating Google Gemini, Microsoft 365 Copilot and Perplexity, governing permissions and agents, understanding open-weight and local models, selecting image, voice and video tools responsibly, running fair side-by-side evaluations, and designing an AI stack that balances quality, cost, privacy and portability.
Completed all lessons and scored at least 80% on the final assessment.
- A public verification page
- A PDF certificate to download
- An Open Badge you can share
- One click to your LinkedIn profile
Final assessment
- 25questions drawn from a larger pool
- 40 mintime limit
- 80%pass mark
- 3attempts per 24 hours
Start learning today. It’s free.
Every lesson is free to read. A free account saves your progress, unlocks the final assessment and issues your certificate.