Anthropic

AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations

Learn a framework for working with AI effectively and responsibly, for people new to AI and seasoned users alike.

Taught by Drew Bent, Rick Dakan and 2 more at AnthropicFreeCertificateVerified 8 Nov 2026

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From Introduction to AI Fluency to Conclusion & badge: 10 sections
It teaches a way of working, not one tool.: Any AI assistant
Before you startNothing. It is for everyone, new to AI or not.: All levels
14 lessons and a quiz, about 4 hours: Self-paced

AI Fluency: Framework & FoundationsFreeOpen the course

What you’ll learn

Learn the 4D Framework: Delegation, Description, Discernment and Diligence.
Understand what generative AI is and what it can and cannot do.
Decide which parts of a project to hand to AI, and plan the work.
Write clearer prompts, judge the output with care and improve it in a loop.
Work with AI in a way that is ethical, safe and accountable.

Skills you’ll gain

PromptingResponsible AIAI at Work

Tools it uses

Any AI assistant: it teaches a way of working, not one tool.

Details to know

Certificate of completionWhen you pass the course quiz
Assessments1 quiz
Taught in EnglishNo other languages listed
VerifiedNov 2026

Lessons

10 sections · 14 lessons and a quiz, about 4 hours

AI Fluency: Framework & Foundations is a course from Anthropic, built with professors Joseph Feller of University College Cork and Rick Dakan of Ringling College. It teaches a way of working with AI that still applies as new models arrive, for newcomers and regular users alike.

Short lessons with videos and exercises follow the four competencies in order, with two deep dives on how generative AI works and how to prompt it. You plan a project early, carry it through later lessons, and finish with a course quiz.

Across 10 sections, you will:

The AI Fluency Framework: Learn the 4Ds and the three modes of AI use: Automation, Augmentation and Agency.
Deep Dive 1: What is Generative AI? (Part 1): Understand how generative AI works and where it falls short.
Delegation: Decide which parts of a project to hand to AI, and plan one of your own.
Description: Say clearly what you want, how the AI should go about it and how it should act.
Deep Dive 2: Effective prompting techniques: Use six prompting techniques and get the AI to help fix your prompts.
Discernment: Check the AI's output, its reasoning and its behavior before you trust them.
The Description-Discernment loop: Push your project forward through rounds of prompting and review.
Diligence: Own your AI-assisted work and be open about how you used AI.

Applied learning project

You practice on a project of your own while you learn, and a course quiz closes the course.

Your own project: Pick a multi-step project, plan what to give AI, then build it in rounds with the AI.
Exercises: Try short exercises on the 4Ds, including a diligence statement for your project.
Course quiz: Answer questions on the 4Ds and their parts to earn the completion badge.

By the end, you can decide what to give AI, ask for it clearly, judge what comes back and take responsibility for the result.

Introduction to AI FluencySection 1Section details

What you’ll learn

See how the course defines AI Fluency and why it goes past quick prompting tips.
Get a map of the course and the four competencies it builds.

The AI Fluency FrameworkSection 2 • 2 lessonsSection details

What you’ll learn

Tell apart the three modes of AI use: Automation, Augmentation and Agency.
Learn the 4Ds: Delegation, Description, Discernment and Diligence.
Try short exercises that apply the framework to your own AI use.

Lessons

2.1Why do we need AI Fluency?
2.2The 4D Framework

Deep Dive 1: What is Generative AI? (Part 1)Section 3 • 2 lessonsSection details

What you’ll learn

Learn what generative AI is and what sets it apart from other kinds of AI.
See what today's generative AI does well and where it falls short.

Lessons

3.1Generative AI fundamentals
3.2Capabilities & limitations

DelegationSection 4 • 2 lessonsSection details

What you’ll learn

Decide what to hand to AI using Problem Awareness, Platform Awareness and Task Delegation.
Pick a multi-step project and plan which parts AI will take on.

Lessons

4.1A closer look at Delegation
4.2Project planning and Delegation

DescriptionSection 5 • 1 lessonSection details

What you’ll learn

Learn the three kinds of Description: Product, Process and Performance.
State your goal, the steps and the tone you want so the AI understands you.

Lesson

5.1A closer look at Description

Deep Dive 2: Effective prompting techniquesSection 6 • 1 lessonSection details

What you’ll learn

Use six prompting techniques, from giving context and examples to setting constraints and roles.
Ask the AI to help improve your prompt, and refine it when replies miss.

Lesson

6.1Effective prompting techniques

DiscernmentSection 7 • 1 lessonSection details

What you’ll learn

Judge AI work on three levels: its output, its process and its behavior.
Spot quality problems in AI work and decide how to deal with them.

Lesson

7.1A closer look at Discernment

The Description-Discernment loopSection 8Section details

What you’ll learn

Work on your course project by prompting, judging the reply and prompting again.
Improve each draft through rounds of clearer requests and closer review.

DiligenceSection 9 • 1 lessonSection details

What you’ll learn