CompTIA expands its Essentials Series product line with role-specific courses on responsible AI use in sales and marketing

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sales and marketing professionals looking to enhance their artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge and skills have new learning options from CompTIA, the world's leading provider of vendor-neutral information technology (IT) training and certification products.

The CompTIA Essentials Series of learning products now includes AI Marketing Essentials and AI Sales Essentials. The two courses offer instruction on using generative AI tools effectively to accelerate real marketing work and improve every stage of the sales cycle.

CompTIA also announced it will release three more job role-based courses in the first half of 2026: AI Help Desk Essentials, AI Finance Essentials and AI Customer Support Essentials.

"AI tools are already present in many organizations, but are often underused, used inconsistently or used without role-specific guidance," said Katie Hoenicke, chief product officer, CompTIA. "Our Essentials Series addresses these shortcomings by presenting learners with engaging interactive scenarios that are specific to job roles and tasks. This approach helps them build competence and confidence in the responsible use of AI."

Recent CompTIA research illustrates the opportunities and challenges organizations face in their adoption of AI tools. While 82% of companies report growing expectations for AI implementations to deliver value, 79% have backtracked to human-centered solutions after AI failed to meet business objectives.¹ One solution is to accelerate AI training in the workplace. A net 94% of organizations report they are at least somewhat likely to invest in AI specific training this year.²

CompTIA AI Essentials courses are built on a research-based framework, presenting instruction that helps learners gain knowledge and build skills related to course objectives and job task requirements. This is a major differentiator because instruction is delivered in a more effective way, helping learners with retention and the ability to apply what they've learned to specific job scenarios. For marketing professionals, this includes areas such as digital marketing, content creation, communications, advertising and analytics. For sales professionals, the course covers prospect research, personalized outreach, call planning, CRM automation, proposal drafting and other key applications.

Each role-based Essential Series course is four to six hours long. A competency assessment at the end of each course evaluates actual skills, not just course completion. Learners who pass the assessment receive a CompTIA CompCert (Competency Certificate).

In addition to the two new courses, the CompTIA Essentials Series currently includes instruction in AI, AI prompting, business, cloud computing, project management and soft skills.

About CompTIA 
CompTIA Inc. is the world's leading provider of vendor-neutral information technology (IT) training and certification products. CompTIA unlocks potential in millions of aspiring technology professionals and careers changers. Working in partnership with thousands of academic institutions and training providers, CompTIA helps students build career-ready skills through best-in-class learning solutions, industry-recognized certifications and career resources. Learn more at https://www.comptia.org/.

Contact
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
[email protected]
630-678-8468

¹ AI's Impact on Productivity and the Workforce, November 2025.
² CompTIA IT Industry Outlook 2026, January 2026.

SOURCE CompTIA