With businesses finding new, inventive ways to use AI almost every day, it’s no surprise that AI training courses are becoming increasingly sought after. Workers in all sorts of industries are looking to upskill themselves in line with the rapid technological changes occurring. Luckily, companies like Microsoft and Google offer free AI training courses, as do some higher education institutions.
In this guide, we cover the best AI training courses currently available, as well as the benefits of learning about AI in the current job market. We’ve largely focused on free courses that offer immediate, foundational learning opportunities that you can start applying to your job role or career straight away, rather than paid degree courses that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Google’s Generative AI Learning Path (10 Courses)
One of the more generous courses available in terms of actual hours of learning, Google’s Generative AI Learning path has 10 courses on it. All courses take one day to complete. Seven of the courses are classified as introductory, including “Introduction to Generative AI”, “Introduction to Large Language Models” and “Generative AI Fundamentals”. There are three courses within the learning path described as intermediate, including “Encoder-Decoder Architecture” and “Attention Mechanism: Overview”. Although there’s no official qualification, you will be awarded a completion badge that you can attach to your digital resume.
Microsoft’s “Transform Your Business With AI” course
This Microsoft learning path is designed to help businesspeople acquire “the knowledge and resources to adopt AI in their organizations”, and explores “planning, strategizing, and scaling AI projects in a responsible way.” Microsoft says the objectives for this course are to become familiar with existing AI tools, understand basic AI terminology and practices, and use prebuilt AI to build intelligent applications. To enroll in this course, which is 2 hours and 40 minutes long, Microsoft says you’ll need a “basic understanding” of IT and business concepts.
LinkedIn’s “Career Essentials In Generative AI” training course
LinkedIn’s AI Career Essentials Course is made up of five different videos, with a total run time of around four hours. Each video is hosted by a different AI expert, covering a range of core concepts and ethical considerations relating to AI models. Completing this course will earn you a badge of completion from LinkedIn, which can be displayed on your profile.
IBM’s “AI Foundations for Everyone” training course
IBM offers a course entitled “AI Foundations for Everyone” through Coursera, of which over 19,000 people have already enrolled in. You can audit the course for free, which will give you access to all of the materials and some of the assignments. It’s geared toward beginners and you don’t need prior experience to enroll, and the schedule is flexible so you can learn at your own pace.
Digital Partner’s “The Fundamentals of ChatGPT” training course
Digital Partner’s course entitled “The fundamentals of ChatGPT” is a great option for anyone who wants to take a free, accredited course that covers the basics of Generative AI. During the course, you’ll spend time learning about OpenAI’s role in global AI development, and be able to learn about how ChatGPT works, its advantages and limitations.
Phil Ebner’s ChatGPT, Midjourney, Firefly, Bard, DALL-E” AI crash course
While there are some good courses on Udemy that will guide you through the ins and outs of MidJourney and other AI generation tools, this instructor covers the most ground, and almost 12,000 students have already enrolled in the course, which has a 4.6/5 rating on Udemy. The course is almost two hours long and also includes content on ChatGPT, Firefly, Bard, and DALL-E.
These free AI training courses provide valuable opportunities for individuals to learn about generative AI and enhance their skills in the field. By taking advantage of these resources, workers can stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in AI and position themselves for success in the current job market.
