AI Certificate

Gain cutting-edge expertise in AI implementation, adoption and deployment with WatSPEED's flexible, stackable certificates

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Shape the future with world-class AI courses from Canada's top tech university

Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries — and organizations are racing to secure talent who can build, deploy, and scale AI solutions responsibly. Whether you’re a software developer aiming to move into machine learning, or a data scientist looking to deepen your expertise in neural networks and MLOps, WatSPEED's AI certificate program provides a flexible, stackable pathway to power your next career move.

Developed in collaboration with leading industry partners, our hands-on certificates take you from foundational skills through advanced AI model development, preparing you to drive innovation with confidence.

Technical Track

Build, fine-tune, and deploy production-grade AI systems and applications using modern frameworks and cloud tools.

Develop expertise in advanced AI techniques such as LLMs, deep learning, and reinforcement learning.
Deploy models at scale with MLOps and CI/CD pipelines on AWS, Azure, or GCP.
Collaborate with industry mentors, peers, and researchers.
Earn credentials that showcase applied AI expertise.
Transition into high-impact AI roles like ML Engineer or Computer Vision Engineer.
Work on real-world projects with immediate relevance to your career.

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Strategy and Business Track

Develop a practical understanding of AI to drive innovation, manage risk, and lead strategic transformation.

Learn how AI supports digital transformation and creates market advantage.
Evaluate AI investments and align them with business outcomes.
Navigate ethics, bias, and governance in a business context.
Bridge communication gaps between technical and executive teams.
Explore use cases across finance, healthcare, and e-commerce.
Earn in-demand credentials demonstrating strategic AI fluency.

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Policy, Governance & Ethics Track

Gain expertise in setting AI standards and ensuring technology is deployed ethically and transparently.

Understand how to implement and enforce AI laws and regulations.
Stay current with global frameworks like the EU AI Act and Canada’s AI & Data Act.
Address issues like algorithmic transparency, fairness, and discrimination.
Learn how to balance innovation with public trust and ethical standards.
Lead AI risk management, policy development, and compliance oversight.
Gain tools for AI audits, assessments, and procurement guidelines.

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Access knowledge from world-renowned professors, researchers, and industry leaders

Learn from Canada’s AI trailblazers: Harness the University of Waterloo’s world-leading strengths in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and software engineering. Guided by academic pioneers and anchored in cutting-edge research, our program delivers the depth and rigour that sets Waterloo apart.
Experience applied, real-world AI: Gain extensive practical experience across machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and reinforcement learning. Tackle real datasets and build solutions using emerging technologies and industry-standard tools.
Stack credentials that fit your journey: Start where it makes sense for you — with foundational courses or by diving directly into our multi-course certificates in advanced AI techniques and applications. Earn respected credentials that are high in demand and validate your expertise along the way to gaining your AI Certificate.
Flexible online learning for working professionals: Balance your career with immersive learning. Our online, self-paced modules, on-demand offerings, live virtual sessions, and hands-on labs are designed for busy professionals.
Connect to industry, shape what’s next: Engage with guest speakers, mentorship opportunities, and case studies drawn from real business challenges. Learn to develop and implement AI that not only works but delivers strategic impact.

Compare AI certificate tracks

Make your mark in the world of AI and machine learning with professional education offers tailored to meet your needs. Gain a competitive edge and position yourself as a leader in this rapidly evolving field. Based on your interest and experience, choose from the following tracks:

	Technical Track	Business and Strategy Track	Policy, Governance, and Ethics Track
Who should enrol	This track is highly technical, focusing on hands-on AI implementation, coding, and deployment. It’s ideal for professionals who want to build and fine-tune AI systems from scratch. Software engineers, data scientists, DevOps engineers, cloud engineers Professionals aspiring to be AI systems engineers, AI developers, ML engineers, computational linguists, computer vision engineers, deep learning engineers, ML researchers, NLP engineers Technical professionals looking to build, deploy, and maintain AI models	This track is designed for non-technical professionals who need a strategic understanding of AI for competitive advantage rather than deep technical expertise. It focuses on how to manage AI adoption, strategy, and ethical considerations, not how to build AI applications. Product managers, business analysts, mid-level and senior leaders, innovation managers Non-technical professionals who need to understand AI’s business impact	This track is designed for professionals working at the intersection of technology, law, policy, and society. It’s ideal for public sector professionals, legal teams, and governance specialists who need to understand AI’s societal impact and regulatory landscape. Government employees, legal professionals, compliance officers, policy-makers, AI ethics researchers and regulators, policy think tanks, and NGOs Industry professionals responsible for AI compliance and governance Professionals in leadership roles who are responsible for decision-making on AI design and deployment
Key focus areas	Fundamental AI and ML techniques: Including Supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement learning, neural networks, deep learning, and large language models (LLMs) Advanced AI development: Transformer architectures (GPT, BERT), computer vision, image processing (CNNs, GANs), and reinforcement learning applications MLOps and AI deployment: Model lifecycle management (training, evaluation, and retraining), scaling AI applications using cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), CI/CD pipelines for AI and automation AI performance optimization and debugging: Reducing model bias and improving fairness as well as optimizing for speed, efficiency, and accuracy	AI fundamentals for business leaders: Understanding what AI can and cannot do, AI-driven business transformation and value creation, as well as general AI literacy and clarity on AI trends and how they impact industries and business models AI product development and strategy: Building AI-powered products and services, aligning AI initiatives with business goals, and understanding how to evaluate AI opportunities for ROI and scalability AI ethics and risk management: Identifying AI risks (bias, fairness, transparency), and regulatory considerations in Canada (AI Act, privacy laws) AI adoption and change management: Leading AI-driven teams and fostering AI literacy, case studies of successful AI adoption across industries, driving AI adoption and developing strategies for overcoming resistance to AI transformation	Canadian and Global AI regulations: Understanding Canada’s AI and Data Act and its implications as well as Global AI governance frameworks (EU AI Act, OECD AI Principles) and strategies for multinational compliance AI and ethical decision-making: Fairness, bias, and transparency in AI; Ethical AI development best practices; How to embed ethics into AI procurement, design, and deployment; Understanding the societal implications of AI in sensitive domains AI and human rights: Legal and ethical implications of AI on civil liberties; Discrimination, surveillance, and access to justice AI risk and security: AI-related cybersecurity threats and risk mitigation; AI in critical infrastructure and national security; Identifying and assessing AI-related risks (algorithmic bias, privacy breaches, misuse) and developing governance structures to monitor and mitigate these risks; Tools for impact assessments and algorithmic audits AI governance in the public and private sectors: Best practices for AI oversight in organizations; Creating AI governance policies and frameworks; How to build public trust through transparent and responsible AI use AI governance for boards and executives: Strategic oversight of AI in regulated industries, board-level responsibilities and fiduciary duties
	Get notified about updates for this track	Get notified about updates for this track	Get notified about updates for this track

Technical Track

Business and Strategy Track

Policy, Governance, and Ethics Track

Who should enrol

This track is highly technical, focusing on hands-on AI implementation, coding, and deployment. It’s ideal for professionals who want to build and fine-tune AI systems from scratch.

Software engineers, data scientists, DevOps engineers, cloud engineers
Professionals aspiring to be AI systems engineers, AI developers, ML engineers, computational linguists, computer vision engineers, deep learning engineers, ML researchers, NLP engineers
Technical professionals looking to build, deploy, and maintain AI models

This track is designed for non-technical professionals who need a strategic understanding of AI for competitive advantage rather than deep technical expertise. It focuses on how to manage AI adoption, strategy, and ethical considerations, not how to build AI applications.

Product managers, business analysts, mid-level and senior leaders, innovation managers
Non-technical professionals who need to understand AI’s business impact

This track is designed for professionals working at the intersection of technology, law, policy, and society. It’s ideal for public sector professionals, legal teams, and governance specialists who need to understand AI’s societal impact and regulatory landscape.

Government employees, legal professionals, compliance officers, policy-makers, AI ethics researchers and regulators, policy think tanks, and NGOs
Industry professionals responsible for AI compliance and governance
Professionals in leadership roles who are responsible for decision-making on AI design and deployment

Key focus areas

Fundamental AI and ML techniques: Including Supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement learning, neural networks, deep learning, and large language models (LLMs)
Advanced AI development: Transformer architectures (GPT, BERT), computer vision, image processing (CNNs, GANs), and reinforcement learning applications
MLOps and AI deployment: Model lifecycle management (training, evaluation, and retraining), scaling AI applications using cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), CI/CD pipelines for AI and automation
AI performance optimization and debugging: Reducing model bias and improving fairness as well as optimizing for speed, efficiency, and accuracy

AI fundamentals for business leaders: Understanding what AI can and cannot do, AI-driven business transformation and value creation, as well as general AI literacy and clarity on AI trends and how they impact industries and business models
AI product development and strategy: Building AI-powered products and services, aligning AI initiatives with business goals, and understanding how to evaluate AI opportunities for ROI and scalability
AI ethics and risk management: Identifying AI risks (bias, fairness, transparency), and regulatory considerations in Canada (AI Act, privacy laws)
AI adoption and change management: Leading AI-driven teams and fostering AI literacy, case studies of successful AI adoption across industries, driving AI adoption and developing strategies for overcoming resistance to AI transformation

Canadian and Global AI regulations: Understanding Canada’s AI and Data Act and its implications as well as Global AI governance frameworks (EU AI Act, OECD AI Principles) and strategies for multinational compliance
AI and ethical decision-making: Fairness, bias, and transparency in AI; Ethical AI development best practices; How to embed ethics into AI procurement, design, and deployment; Understanding the societal implications of AI in sensitive domains
AI and human rights: Legal and ethical implications of AI on civil liberties; Discrimination, surveillance, and access to justice
AI risk and security: AI-related cybersecurity threats and risk mitigation; AI in critical infrastructure and national security; Identifying and assessing AI-related risks (algorithmic bias, privacy breaches, misuse) and developing governance structures to monitor and mitigate these risks; Tools for impact assessments and algorithmic audits
AI governance in the public and private sectors: Best practices for AI oversight in organizations; Creating AI governance policies and frameworks; How to build public trust through transparent and responsible AI use
AI governance for boards and executives: Strategic oversight of AI in regulated industries, board-level responsibilities and fiduciary duties

Get notified about updates for this track

Featured courses and programs

Foundations of Data Science

Understand the basic techniques, evolution, and promise of data science. Build hands-on skills in programming languages such as Python and SQL. Prior experience with Python is recommended.

$1199.00

Next start date: January 26, 2026

Statistics for Data Science

Explore probability and descriptive statistics, and cover data analysis from both classical and contemporary viewpoints. Learn to extract insight from datasets.

$1199.00

Next start date: January 26, 2026

Python for Machine Learning

Perfect for beginners and professionals! This course is designed to introduce you to data preparation in Python for machine learning applications.

$499.00

Next start date: January 19, 2026

Supervised Machine Learning

Gain practical, hands-on experience using Python to implement and evaluate supervised learning algorithms to draw relevant insights and solve problems.

$799.00

Next start date: January 19, 2026

Unsupervised Machine Learning

Learn three key concepts and practices of unsupervised machine learning: dimensionality reduction, association rules, and clustering.

$499.00

Next start date: November 3, 2025

Neural Networks

Learn the foundational concepts and popular techniques of neural networks, including RNNs, CNNs, and transformers, with hands-on experience using Python to solve real-world problems.

$799.00

Next start date: April 20, 2026

Hands-on Machine Learning

Apply machine learning techniques to real-world problems. Implement a complete machine learning project using Python and relevant libraries from inception to presentation.

$599

Next start date: Coming soon! Sign up to be notified.

Python I

Not familiar with Python? Start here! Gain hands-on experience with Python call functions and arithmetics, and learn how to use a variety of data structures including strings, tuples, lists, sets, dictionaries, and classes.

$599

Next start date: February 2, 2026

Python 2: Data Science and AI Applications

Designed for learners who have some experience in Python and are looking to advance their skills in data science, machine learning, automation, and web development.

$599.00

Next start date: March 23, 2026

Foundations of Large Language Models: Tools, Techniques, and Applications

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the latest techniques, tools, and applications of LLMs so you can build better applications or processes. Prior experience with Python, API endpoints, and machine learning libraries is required.

$1,450.00

Next start date: November 17, 2026

Machine Learning

Equip yourself with basic machine learning and AI tools for mining datasets, and extracting insights for decision-making.

$1199.00

Next start date: January 26, 2026

Big Data Management Systems and Tools

Gain hands-on experience using up-to-date database management systems and tools. Learn about NoSQL technologies and big data tools including Hadoop, Spark, and Cassandra.

$1199.00

Next start date: January 26, 2026

Managing AI Projects

Effectively manage AI projects with practical frameworks, expert guidance, and real-world applications.

$595

Next start date: Coming soon! Sign up to be notified.

AI and Business Strategy

Join leading AI experts for this three-part executive sprint to learn how the AI landscape is evolving and the implications this will have for the future of work and organizational strategies at large.

$849.00

Next start date: October 21, 2025

Operationalizing Generative AI: Executive Insights and Applications

Learn everything you need to know about generative AI to position your organization strategically in this rapidly-evolving space.

$849.00

Next start date: Coming soon! Sign up to be notified.

Leveraging AI to Improve Health Care in Canada

Designed for senior leaders and executives in the health care space, this integrated learning experience explores how to combine AI and predictive analytics to improve health care services in Canada.

$1,899.00

Next start date: Coming soon! Sign up to be notified.

Digital Transformation

This eight-week course addresses the impact that technology is having on our workforce, and helps you discover new technologies and develop a plan for their integration into your workplace

$2,195.00

Next start date: October 17, 2025

AI Adoption, Policy, and Governance

Join an interdisciplinary group of University of Waterloo faculty and Centre for International Governance senior fellows to discover how you can position your work and organization strategically amidst rapid AI advancement.

$2,500

Next start date: Coming soon! Sign up to be notified.

Bring Waterloo expertise to your organization

A distinctive educational experience tailored for your team

WatSPEED custom training delivers the expertise and forward-thinking approach today’s organizations need to future-proof their workforce and keep pace with technology, while innovating smarter and faster.

Partner with WatSPEED to create custom educational content that will equip your team with the skills and knowledge to maintain a competitive edge. We will develop professional education built specifically for your organization to facilitate meaningful and lasting outcomes. Programs are built in close collaboration with you, with content tailored to ensure your unique business challenges and objectives are addressed.