7 Best AI Courses for Beginners in 2024

Want to learn AI but don't know where to start? Here's a quick rundown of the top 7 AI courses for beginners in 2024:

1. AI for Everyone by DeepLearning.AI

2. Google's Intro to Generative AI

3. IBM's AI Basics Course

4. University of Helsinki's AI Basics

5. Udemy's AI A-Z Course

6. MIT's Intro to AI Course

7. Microsoft's AI Basics Course

Helpful YouTube Guide:

Quick Comparison

These courses cover everything from basic AI concepts to hands-on projects. Most are free and online, perfect for fitting into your schedule. Whether you're looking to boost your career or just understand AI better, there's a course here for you.

Ready to dive in? Let's break down each course so you can pick the best one for your needs.

AI for Everyone by DeepLearning.AI

"AI for Everyone" by DeepLearning.AI is a beginner-friendly course that does exactly what it says on the tin. It's perfect for anyone curious about AI, whether you're a CEO or a teacher.

Andrew Ng, an AI expert, leads the course. He breaks down complex AI concepts into easy-to-digest pieces. You'll learn:

• AI basics

• How to spot AI opportunities in your work

• Ways to work with AI teams

• AI ethics

Here's what you need to know:

What's cool about this course? It's all about the real world. You'll look at AI in action, like virtual assistants and self-driving cars. This gives you a practical grasp of what AI can (and can't) do.

The impact? Pretty big. Over 829,000 people have taken the course. And more than 12% of graduates say it helped their career.

Just remember: this course is about understanding AI, not coding it. It's a great starting point if you want to get the big picture before diving into the technical stuff.

So, if you're ready to start your AI journey, "AI for Everyone" is a great first step.

2. Google's Intro to Generative AI

Google's free "Introduction to Generative AI" course is perfect for beginners. It covers the basics:

• What generative AI is

• How it works

• Different types of models

• Real-world uses

The best part? You get hands-on experience with Google Cloud tools.

Here's a quick look:

The course has three main parts:

1. Intro to Generative AI

2. Intro to Large Language Models

3. Intro to Responsible AI

It's available in 15 languages and you get a Google Cloud skill badge when you finish.

People love it. It has a 4.7 rating on Coursera from over 5,000 reviews. One reviewer said:

There's even a section on AI in healthcare, showing how wide-ranging this tech can be.

Google's not stopping here. They've announced a new AI Essentials Course and a $75 million fund to help a million Americans learn AI skills.

James Manyika from Google says:

If you're new to AI and want to learn from a big name, Google's course is a great place to start.

3. IBM's AI Basics Course

IBM's AI Basics Course is a free, 10-hour online program that covers AI fundamentals. It's part of IBM's SkillsBuild initiative and is open to anyone interested in AI.

The course has six parts:

1. AI intro and applications

2. AI concepts and terms

3. AI in business and careers

4. AI ethics

5. Hands-on labs

6. Final project

A key feature is the focus on AI ethics. This module covers:

• Five pillars of AI ethics

• Fairness and bias

• Transparency

• Robustness

• Data privacy

Francesca Rossi, IBM's Chief AI Ethics Officer, says:

You'll get hands-on experience with AI tools and do a final project. When you finish, you'll get a certificate from IBM SkillsBuild.

Want a free, thorough intro to AI that covers tech AND ethics? IBM's AI Basics Course might be for you.

4. University of Helsinki's AI Basics

The University of Helsinki offers a free online course called "Elements of AI." It's perfect for beginners who want to learn about AI without diving into complex math or coding.

What's covered:

• AI basics and methods

• Intro to machine learning and neural networks

• AI's impact on society

• How to think critically about AI news

You'll tackle 25 exercises throughout the course. To pass, you need to score at least 50% (60% for degree credit).

This course is part of Finland's plan to teach AI basics to 1% of its population. It's a good fit if you want to:

• Get a broad AI overview without the tech jargon

• Learn at your own speed

• Chat with other learners on Spectrum

• Add an AI certificate to your LinkedIn profile

5. Udemy's AI A-Z Course

Udemy's "Artificial Intelligence A-Z 2024" course is a hands-on AI bootcamp for beginners. You'll build 7 AI models from scratch, including:

• Q-Learning for warehouse optimization

• Deep Q-Learning for moon landings

• Deep Convolutional Q-Learning for Pac-Man

• Fine-tuning Meta's Llama 2 LLM

You'll get Python code templates for each project, making it easier to build your own AI apps. The course teaches you to code from the ground up, so you'll understand how AI really works.

With 60,000+ students and 6,000+ reviews, it's a hit. Perfect for:

• Future data scientists and engineers

• Anyone wanting AI skills

• Beginners with no AI or coding experience

The course starts simple and ramps up, giving you a strong AI foundation before tackling the tough stuff.

6. MIT's Intro to AI Course

Want to dive into AI? MIT's got you covered with their free online Intro to AI course.

Here's what you'll learn:

1. Search (3 weeks)

2. Machine Learning (5 weeks)

3. Knowledge Representation and Inference (5 weeks)

You'll build smart systems and see how AI tackles real problems. The course includes hands-on projects to put theory into practice.

It's self-paced and covers everything from basics to advanced stuff. But heads up: you'll need to know Scheme programming and calculus.

Students love it. It's got a 4.6 rating on Class Central. One reviewer said:

Bonus: MIT has another course on edX about using AI in business strategy.

7. Microsoft's AI Basics Course

Want to dip your toes into AI? Microsoft's got you covered.

Their AI Basics Course is a quick intro to AI concepts. It's part of the Azure AI Fundamentals certification path, perfect for AI newbies.

Here's what you'll learn:

• AI workloads

• Machine learning on Azure

• Computer vision

• Natural Language Processing (NLP)

• Generative AI

The best part? It's short and sweet. Just 36 minutes, and you don't need any coding skills or AI knowledge.

Who's it for? Pretty much anyone:

• AI Engineers

• Data Scientists

• Students

• Non-tech folks

It's a great starting point if you're eyeing more advanced Azure certifications.

Want to test your skills? There's an exam (AI-900) for $99. Pass it, and you might even get college credit.

Heads up: Microsoft's running an AI Skills Challenge from September 24 to November 1, 2024. It's all about practical AI skills using Microsoft Copilot, Azure, and Fabric.

Course Comparison

Let's break down the top AI courses for beginners in 2024:

What's the deal with these courses?

1. Most beginner courses won't cost you a dime. But if you want fancy stuff, be ready to shell out some cash.

2. Time commitment? It's all over the place. Some courses are a quick coffee break, others are like a part-time job.

3. These courses cater to everyone from total newbies to big-shot business leaders.

4. While they all cover AI basics, some dive into specific areas like generative AI or business applications.

5. Watch out for platform-specific courses. Microsoft's course, for example, is all about Azure.

So, how do you pick? Think about your background, schedule, and what you want to learn. If you're a busy business pro who just wants the gist, "AI for Everyone" might be your jam. But if you're itching to get your hands dirty with some coding, Udemy's "AI A-Z" could be more your speed.

COURSE

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Wrap-up

AI is changing everything. Here's why these courses matter:

AI is reshaping industries across the board. It's not just for tech experts anymore.

The job market? It's hot. AI engineers earn a median salary of $136,620 per year, with job growth expected at 23% over the next decade.

These courses cater to everyone - from beginners to pros. Some are quick, others go deep.

You'll learn from industry leaders. Take Andrew Ng's "AI for Everyone" - it's got over 1.3 million students.

Many courses offer hands-on projects. In Kiril Eremenko's "AI A-Z" on Udemy, you'll build actual AI models.

Most beginner courses are free. Even pricier options like MIT's course can be worth it for some.

You'll gain skills in AI basics, machine learning algorithms, and data visualization.

Want to start? Try a free course like "AI for Everyone". If you're hooked, move on to something more in-depth.

FAQs

Which course is best for AI?

Picking the right AI course depends on what you're after. Here's a quick look at some top choices:

DeepLearning.AI's "AI For Everyone" is great if you want to get the business side of AI. It covers the basics, how AI's used, and the ethical stuff.

Starting from zero? IBM's "Introduction to AI" might be your thing. It gives you the full picture - from AI's history to where it's headed.

Into the creative side? Check out Google's "Introduction to Generative AI". It's quick and dives into models like GPT-3, plus the cool (and tricky) parts of AI-generated content.

But here's the deal: the "best" course is the one that fits YOU. Think about what you know, where you want to go, and how much time you've got.

This Harvard prof's got a point. As you pick your course, think about how AI might shake up your field. It's not just tech anymore - AI's everywhere.