About this pathway
The CDI Method Foundation pathway teaches the conversational AI workflow that helps teams around the world create human-centric and inclusive AI assistants. It is the starting point for both managers and functional teams, and the prerequisite for every Practitioner Certification that follows.
The Foundation course introduces the CDI Maturity Model and the CDI Framework — mindset, skillset, culture and systems — then works through the CDI Conversation Design Workflow step by step: why each step matters, how to execute it, and what it takes to collaborate across an AI team. The approach is voice-first, so teams can design for chat, voice and other conversational interfaces without starting again each time.
The Ethics course puts fairness, accountability, sustainability and transparency into the same workflow. You will explore real-world dilemmas, learn where risk sits at each stage of design, and apply the FAST principles so that what your team ships is responsible as well as effective.
REQUIRED
What you will learn
At the end of the pathway you will be able to:
Assess and improve AI project readiness with the CDI Maturity Model
Develop AI strategy with the CDI Integral Framework: mindset, skillset, culture and systems
Develop AI strategy with the CDI Integral Framework: mindset, skillset, culture and systems
Select winning use cases and identify high-impact AI opportunities
Run the CDI workflow through strategy, design and build for chat and voice
Run the CDI workflow through strategy, design and build for chat and voice
Apply the FAST principles — fairness, accountability, sustainability, transparency
Identify ethical risk at each stage of the workflow and act on it before launch
Identify ethical risk at each stage of the workflow and act on it before launch
Join students from 50+ countries, certified by CDI
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Reasons to get certified
FAQs
What does the CDI Method Foundation exam cost?
$499 on Learn only, and included with Certified. Passing it makes you a Certified CDI Method Foundation Practitioner.
Does Foundation count toward CAIC?
Yes, and it's required. Foundation is the first requirement for CAIC and for every other Practitioner Certification.
How long does the pathway take?
Two required modules, CDI Method Foundation and Ethics, taken at your own pace.
Do I need to take the recommended courses?
No. Foundation is the starting point, so there's nothing you need first. If you're completely new to conversation design, the free Introduction to Conversation Design is a useful warm-up.
Who is this pathway for?
Managers and functional teams starting out with conversational AI. It gives everyone the shared workflow the other pathways build on.
What comes after CDI Method Foundation?
Choose a certified pathway: Conversation Design, Prompt Design, AI Training, Conversational AI Applications or Agentic Experience Design. Foundation plus AXD and any two others makes you a Certified Conversational AI Consultant (CAIC).
What is the difference between a certificate and a certification?
Each module earns a certificate of completion, which shows you finished it. A Practitioner Certification is earned by passing the pathway exam, which shows you've mastered it.
Does my certification expire?
No. Every Practitioner Certification you earn is yours permanently. Only CAIC status is renewed each year.
How does CAIC work?
old the CDI Method Foundation and AXD certifications plus any two others, and CAIC is conferred after a short review. There's no extra exam. It's kept current with a short annual declaration and either a Certified plan or the $99/year CAIC subscription.