How to Ask Your Employer to Pay for AI Training

By James Finley. Published Oct 29, 2026.

To get your employer to pay for AI training, send your manager a short written request. Say which course you want, what it costs, how much time it takes, which of your weekly tasks it will help with, and how you'll use AI safely. Below is a letter you can copy, plus what to do if the answer is no.

Why do employers say yes to AI training?

Many employers already pay for AI tools and want people to use them well and safely. A request is easier to approve when it's small, clearly tied to your job, and shows you've thought about company data. A vague "can I take an AI course?" is easy to put off. A specific one-page request isn't.

What should the request include?

Five things, each in a sentence or two:

The course and the price. Name it, link to it and give the exact cost.
The time. How many hours (each course page shows its length), and whether you'll do it during work hours or on your own time. If you're paid by the hour, ask how training time should be counted.
The tasks it helps with. Three real tasks from your week, such as replying to customer email, summarizing meeting notes or cleaning up spreadsheets.
Safety. Say you'll only use AI tools your company has approved, and that you'll keep private information out.
What you'll bring back. For example, a short summary for your team or a few prompts you wrote that others can reuse.

What does the letter look like?

Copy this letter, then fill in every blank:

Hi [MANAGER'S NAME],

I'd like to take an online course called [COURSE NAME] from AIvanced Academy: [LINK].

It costs [PRICE, FOR EXAMPLE $24.99 ONE TIME OR $29.99 A MONTH], and it's self-paced. I expect it to take about [HOURS] hours over [WEEKS] weeks, which I'd fit in [DURING WORK HOURS / ON MY OWN TIME].

It would help me with three tasks I do every week:
1. [TASK 1]
2. [TASK 2]
3. [TASK 3]

I'll practice with made-up examples first, and at work I'll only use AI tools our company has approved. I'll keep customer, employee and other private information out of them.

When I finish, I'll share [WHAT YOU'LL BRING BACK, SUCH AS A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY OR FIVE PROMPTS YOU WROTE THAT THE TEAM CAN REUSE].

The course comes with a certificate of completion that you can check online. Can we talk about it this week?

Thanks,
[YOUR NAME]

You can ask an AI tool to tighten the wording, but check that it doesn't add promises you didn't make, like hours saved.

Who should you send it to?

Start with your direct manager. In larger companies, training money may come from HR or a training budget, so ask your manager who approves it. If your company already pays for an AI tool such as Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT, mention that. Training helps people get value from a tool the company is already paying for. For one course, you'd buy it on your own account, so ask whether your company pays you back or gives you a company card to use.

What if your employer says no?

Ask what would make it a yes. Some managers want a cheaper first step, some want proof it helps, and some need the request in next quarter's budget. Then pick one:

Start smaller. Try a free preview lesson, or a shorter course, and share what you learned.
Ask again later. Put it in your next goal-setting or review conversation, with the tasks you want to improve.
Pay for it yourself. If you do, keep your work rules in mind. Use made-up examples, or only tools your company has approved, and never paste work data into a personal account. That includes the course's practice exercises.

What does AIvanced Academy cost?

Single courses are a one-time purchase starting at $9.99, and each course page shows its own price. A membership is $29.99 a month and includes every published course in the catalog. The Pricing page lists anything it doesn't include. If a course isn't what you expected, you can ask for a full refund within 14 days of buying it, as long as you've finished less than half of it. You can cancel a membership anytime, and it stays active until the end of the period you paid for. Teams plans cover groups of three or more, and a manager can track everyone's progress.

Where should you start?

If you're new to AI at work, AI Foundations and AI Privacy, Safety, and Responsible Use are a good place to start. If email takes up most of your day, start with AI for Email and Professional Communication. Every course has a free preview lesson, with no account needed, so you can try it before you send the letter. If your manager wants it for the whole team, see Teams plans.