UNESCO and Coursera launch free multilingual AI ethics course

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has partnered with Coursera to launch a free online course on artificial intelligence ethics. The course, titled "Global MOOC on the Ethics of AI," was developed in collaboration with LG AI Research.

According to a press statement from Coursera, the nine-hour program teaches learners to recognise ethical risks, weigh competing priorities, and make informed decisions about how AI is designed, used, and governed. The curriculum focuses on real-world applications and draws on insights from global experts at institutions including Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Toronto, and the Alan Turing Institute.

UNESCO Director General Prof. Khaled El-Enany stated that the course translates the organisation's Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence into practical learning. He described it as a step toward moving from shared commitments to meaningful action by empowering people to apply ethical principles throughout the AI lifecycle.

Through hands-on projects, participants explore how to translate core concepts such as privacy, transparency, sustainability, and human autonomy into practical decisions and policies. The course requires no advanced technical knowledge and is designed for learners across sectors, including university students, researchers, policymakers, and technology leaders.

The program is available in 11 languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Russian, Spanish, Korean, Hindi, Bahasa Indonesian, Italian, and Portuguese. This multilingual approach aims to broaden access to AI ethics education globally.

The initiative represents a concrete effort to operationalise international ethical standards for AI through accessible education. By removing cost and language barriers, the course seeks to equip a diverse global audience with frameworks for responsible AI development and use.