Four free Coursera courses to jump-start your AI journey

Artificial intelligence: it’s not just for tech experts anymore. Instead, a heaping helping of free online resources has emerged. These classes are specifically designed to welcome beginners into the world of AI, even if they possess little or no prior technical background.

I selected these Coursera courses for their beginner-friendly approach, high ratings, and comprehensive coverage of foundational concepts and key AI domains.

AI For Everyone

If you’re taking your very first steps into AI, “AI For Everyone” on Coursera is a great starting point.

The course requires no prior experience in AI or programming, making it truly accessible to everyone, and it’s got a reasonable completion time of around six hours.

The curriculum is structured into four modules: What is AI?, Building AI Projects, Building AI in Your Company, and AI and Society.

Google AI Essentials

Another good starting point for your AI journey is the “Google AI Essentials” course. It offers a unique perspective on Google’s AI philosophy and features hands-on activities and real-world scenarios.

Similar to “AI For Everyone” mentioned above, “Google AI Essentials” is designed to be accessible to individuals of all skill levels.

The six-hour course is structured into five modules: Introduction to AI, Maximize Productivity With AI Tools, Discover the Art of Prompting, Use AI Responsibly, and Stay Ahead of the AI Curve.

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

For a slightly more structured and in-depth introduction to the foundational concepts of AI, the “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence” course offered by IBM on Coursera is an excellent option.

This 12-hour course aims to equip beginners with a solid understanding of core AI concepts, and incorporates videos, readings, assignments, and even hands-on labs.

The curriculum is divided into four modules that cover a range of essential topics: Introduction and Applications of AI; AI Concepts, Terminology, and Application Domains; Business and Career Transformation Through AI; and Issues, Concerns, and Ethical Considerations.

Introduction to Generative AI

Don’t have 6–12 hours to get up to speed with the aforementioned courses? Skip right to the good stuff with the “Introduction to Generative AI” course, which offers an overview of . . . well, what most people are referring to when they mention AI nowadays (whether they realize it or not).

The course defines generative AI, explains its underlying mechanisms, describes the different types of generative AI models, and discusses how the technology is used in the real world.

It’s worth noting that this course is part of a larger “Introduction to Generative AI Learning Path Specialization,” so if you find the topic particularly engaging, you’ll be able to keep the good times rolling with additional courses.

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