Why you need AI training now
Two reasons. The first is regulatory: Article 4 of the EU AI Act requires all organisations that use AI to ensure their staff have a sufficient level of AI literacy. This obligation has been in force since February 2025. Enforcement and penalties apply from August 2026.
The second is competitive. Companies that train their teams in AI adopt the technology faster, make fewer mistakes, and get a higher ROI from their automation investments. Those that don't accumulate regulatory risk and fall behind competitors who are preparing now.
The question isn't whether you need training. It's which training to choose. And that's where most companies get it wrong.
The 4 types of AI training that exist
Not all AI training is the same. There are four main categories, each suited for different purposes:
Generic AI training (MOOCs, YouTube, online courses)
Coursera, Udemy, YouTube. These cover the basics of machine learning, deep learning, and prompt engineering. Useful for personal curiosity, but does not satisfy Art. 4 because it isn't adapted to your organisation's context or properly documented.
Vendor/platform training
Microsoft AI, Google Cloud AI, AWS ML. Training focused on a specific vendor's tools. Useful for technical teams implementing those platforms, but it doesn't cover regulatory compliance or a cross-functional view of AI.
AI training with a regulatory focus (EU AI Act, GDPR)
Courses designed to address legal obligations: risk classification, AI literacy, governance. This is what you need to comply with Art. 4. However, many courses in this category are purely theoretical and include no practical component or cybersecurity content.
Secure AI training (compliance + security + practical application)
Combines regulatory compliance with applied cybersecurity and real-world use cases. Covers Art. 4, but also teaches teams to deploy and use AI securely. This is the most complete approach and what we recommend for organisations that want to comply and actually benefit from AI.
Key point: To comply with Article 4 of the EU AI Act, training must be tailored to participants' roles, properly documented, and cover the functioning, limitations, and risks of the AI systems the organisation uses. A generic Coursera course does not meet these requirements.
7 criteria for a good choice
When evaluating AI training providers, use these 7 criteria:
| Criterion | Key question | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1. EU AI Act alignment | Does the programme explicitly cover Art. 4 obligations, risk classification, and Art. 5 prohibited uses? | Without this, you're not compliant |
| 2. Adaptation to your organisation | Is the content tailored to your sector, your AI systems, and your team profiles? | Art. 4 requires adapted training |
| 3. Security component | Does it include AI-specific cybersecurity (adversarial attacks, prompt injection, data poisoning)? | The difference between knowing AI and knowing secure AI |
| 4. Documentation and certificate | Do they issue an attendance certificate, assessment record, and content log? Can it serve as evidence during an audit? | Critical for demonstrating compliance |
| 5. Funding eligibility (Spain: FUNDAE) | Does the provider handle the FUNDAE subsidy process? Does your company have enough credit? | The difference between 0 EUR and full cost |
| 6. Trainer experience | Does the instructor have real-world experience in enterprise AI and regulatory compliance? | An academic and an active practitioner are not the same |
| 7. Practical cases and sector fit | Does it include real use cases from your sector (healthcare, finance, industry, etc.)? | Theory without practice doesn't change behaviour |
If the provider doesn't meet at least criteria 1, 2, and 4, the training won't serve you for EU AI Act compliance. The rest adds value but isn't mandatory.
FUNDAE: train your team for free (Spain)
In Spain, companies can use FUNDAE (the State Foundation for Employment Training) to subsidise employee training through a training credit. Each company receives an annual credit calculated based on headcount and social security contributions. If you're based outside Spain, EU-funded training schemes or national upskilling programmes may offer similar options, but the compliance obligation under Article 4 applies across all EU member states regardless.
0 EUR
Actual cost with FUNDAE credit (Spain)
75 EUR
Per person without FUNDAE credit (7.5 EUR/h x 10h)
100%
Of companies with 1-5 employees can be subsidised at 100%
Key facts about FUNDAE (Spain):
- Unused credit expires at year end. It's money your company loses if you don't use it. Many companies don't even know they have it.
- The company pays upfront and then deducts the cost from social security contributions. The training provider usually handles the entire process.
- Companies with 1-5 employees: minimum credit of 420 EUR/year, 100% subsidy.
- Companies with 6-9 employees: 100% subsidy.
- Companies with 10-49 employees: 75% subsidy.
- Companies with 50-249 employees: 60% subsidy.
- Companies with 250+ employees: 50% subsidy.
For our 10-hour courses at 75 EUR/person, most SMEs in Spain have enough credit to cover training for their entire team at no extra cost. If you want to check your company's credit balance, get in touch and we'll confirm it in minutes.
Market price comparison
For reference, here's what enterprise AI training typically costs in the European market in 2026:
| Training type | Indicative price | Duration | FUNDAE (Spain) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic MOOC (Coursera, Udemy) | 0-50 EUR | 10-40h | Not eligible |
| Vendor training (Microsoft, Google) | 200-1,500 EUR | 8-40h | Some eligible |
| Regulatory training (consultancies) | 500-3,000 EUR/person | 8-20h | Variable |
| Custom in-company training | 3,000-15,000 EUR/group | 10-40h | Generally yes |
| Delbion: Secure AI + EU AI Act | 75 EUR/person (0 EUR with FUNDAE) | 10h | Yes, fully managed |
Price isn't the only factor, but at 75 EUR/person (or 0 EUR with FUNDAE), there's no excuse to leave your team untrained. And if you fail to comply with Art. 4, fines can reach up to 15 million euros or 3% of your global turnover.
5 mistakes companies make when choosing AI training
Buying a generic course and assuming it covers Art. 4
A mass online course without adaptation to the organisation's context does not meet the adapted training requirement. If an audit reviews your records and only finds a Coursera certificate, that won't be enough.
Only training the technical team
Art. 4 applies to all roles that interact with AI, not just engineers. Executives, HR, compliance, customer service: everyone who uses AI needs to understand how it works.
Not documenting the training
You trained your team but have no records? It doesn't exist. In an audit, you need evidence: attendance, content covered, assessments, dates.
Ignoring the security component
AI without cybersecurity is a risk. Prompt injection, data poisoning, hallucinations, data leakage: your team needs to know not just how to use AI, but how to use it securely.
Letting FUNDAE credit expire (Spain)
Your company has a training credit every year that expires on 31 December. If you don't use it, you lose it. Many Spanish companies are paying out of pocket for training they could have for free.
Our recommendation
If your organisation needs to meet the Article 4 obligation and also wants its teams to understand AI in a practical and secure way, our two programmes are designed exactly for that:
Compliance
Secure AI Application for Business
10 hours. Covers Art. 4, risk classification, governance, and applied AI security. For the whole organisation: executives, managers, and front-line teams.
0 EUR with FUNDAE · 75 EUR without credit
Innovation
AI Agents for Business
10 hours. AI agent automation applied to your sector. For executives, innovation leads, and product managers.
0 EUR with FUNDAE · 75 EUR without credit
Both are fully subsidisable through FUNDAE. We handle the entire subsidy process. And if you want to assess which training fits your situation best, we offer a free 60-minute assessment.
Secure AI Training
Your team needs AI training. FUNDAE covers the cost.
Two 10-hour programmes. Certified. Subsidisable. Designed to comply with EU AI Act Art. 4 and train teams that actually use AI.
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