UNESCO launches first free course on Coursera: Global MOOC on the Ethics of AI

London, UK: Monday 20th July – As institutions worldwide intensify their efforts to create frameworks to ensure the responsible deployment of AI technology, UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, has today launched their first free course on Coursera, the Global MOOC on the Ethics of AI, built with LG AI Research.

UNESCO has defined standards for responsible AI usage with the first global framework on AI ethics, endorsed by 193 countries. As AI adoption accelerates, this new course helps learners and institutions put those principles into action and strengthen ethical decision-making on a global scale.

“Principles alone do not build ethical AI, people do. Through this course, UNESCO is taking the next step in its leadership on AI ethics, translating the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence into practical learning that empowers people to apply ethical principles throughout the AI lifecycle. This is how we move from shared commitments to meaningful action,” said Prof.  Khaled El-Enany, Director General, UNESCO.

Dr. Lim Woo-hyung, Co-Head of LG AI Research, said:

“Through UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, the international community has forged a shared consensus on what ethical AI should be; what’s missing is the practice. The real work is to carry ethics through the entire lifecycle—from product development to service operation. We hope this MOOC gives working developers and researchers the practical foundation to build a trustworthy AI ecosystem and turn responsible innovation into an industry-wide habit rather than an aspiration.”

The new course teaches learners to recognise ethical risks, weigh competing priorities, and make more informed decisions about how AI is designed, used, and governed. To equip its learners with the confidence needed to navigate AI’s complexities in their jobs and day-to-day lives, the course focuses on real-world applications, guided by insights from global experts at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toronto, the Alan Turing Institute, and more.

Hands-on projects show how to translate core concepts, including privacy, transparency, sustainability, and human autonomy, into practical decisions and policies. This 9-hour course, which will be available in 11 languages, requires no advanced technical knowledge and is designed for learners across sectors, including university students, researchers, policymakers, and technology leaders.

Upon completion, learners will be ready to make key decisions that ensure AI is studied, built, and adopted in more responsible and equitable ways. 

Marni Baker Stein, Chief Content Officer at Coursera, said:

“We’re honored to expand our partnership with UNESCO. For years, we’ve worked together to make high-quality learning more accessible for all through UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition and Global Skills Academy. Today, we’re expanding our collaboration to empower institutions and individuals to tackle one of the world’s most pressing challenges: the responsible adoption and deployment of AI.”