Generative AI online courses for beginners
“Only 6% of companies have managed to train more than 25% of their people on GenAI tools so far.” - BCG
It’s 2024 and it’s time to upskill for AI. Upskilling for AI means learning how AI works, exploring AI tools for the workplace, and flexing your problem solving skills.
First, commit to learn about generative AI in 2024. The best part of learning about generative AI is that we’re all starting out as beginners. You don’t have to have experience with AI to learn about generative AI. You don't need to code either. You simply need your curiosity and a nudge in the right direction.
Free online AI courses (and some paid ones) can give you the nudge you need to start learning about AI.
The generative AI online courses below don’t require a programming or tech background.
AI course for beginners no coding required. Learn practical AI skills for the workplace.
AI Literacy Basics: Applying Generative AI in the Workplace
This is the course I wish I had when I first started learning about AI in 2017. When I first started learning about AI, I had to slog through so many engineering videos. There wasn’t anything for non-engineers. So I told myself when I understand AI well enough, I’d make an artificial intelligence for beginners course with practical examples of how AI is used in the workplace. This is that course. It’s focused exclusively on understanding generative AI and the workplace (so we’re not building or coding anything with AI in this course). It’s hand on and shows you practical examples of how to use ChatGPT effectively at work. It’s not free, but Udemy is always giving away discounts. Check it out here.
Coursera
Coursera’s Generative AI for everyone is a good start for anyone who needs a generative AI primer. With modules on how LLMs are trained and how to prepare teams to work with generative AI, it’s a quick way to get up to speed on generative AI for business leaders. Plus you can get that certificate as proof you’ve been paying attention to generative AI. The online course is free but you’ll need to pay for the certificate. Check to see if your work will pay for it.
Google has a list of 12 free generative AI courses online. The ones below will give anyone without a technical background a foundation for understanding generative AI.
Intro to Generative AI - a very short course to get you started
Introduction to Large Language Models: a dive into how large language models (LLMs) work. LLMs are the technology that powers tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard.
Introduction to Responsible A: Anyone working with AI needs to understand how to work with it responsibly.
Datacamp
Datacamp’s Generative AI Concepts is geared more towards people with a deeper interest in how generative AI works. But it’s still useful as a beginner. This is an excellent AI course for product managers or designers who need to understand how to build products with LLMs. The design is also more interactive than other courses where you just watch videos. The best part is that you can sample any part of the course for free. You can also start the course for free but need to pay a subscription if you want to complete it.
Udacity
Udacity’s Generative AI for Business Leaders is designed for leaders overseeing generative AI products. It’s the priciest course in the list, listed at over $800. There isn’t much on the sales page saying what you’ll get out of it. If your company pays for it, it may be worth checking out if you want The jury is out on whether this is a good use of your money.
YouTube
You can build your own DIY generative AI course for beginners on YouTube. Start with What is generative AI and how does it work? for a well-rounded talk on generative AI, Large Language Models, and the impact on society. If you’re interested in generative AI enterprise use cases, Gartner has several videos on the topic.
Build your AI and data literacy skills with a broader understanding of AI
Generative AI has everyone’s attention right now but it’s only one type of AI. There’s more to learn about the role of data in AI, machine learning, and more. Build your skills with online courses for artificial intelligence basics.
University of Finland
Expand your understanding of how AI works by taking Elements of AI, a course on AI for non-experts. The free online AI course was created by MinnaLearn and the University of Helsinki. It was designed to teach as many people as possible about AI. It combines theory with practical exercises, no math or coding required. It’s also really nicely designed.
Udemy
Udemy offers, AI For Non-Technical People: A Hands-On Beginner's Course, and is designed for absolute beginners with no prior AI knowledge. You’ll learn the fundamentals of AI plus get hands on training a model.
Crash course
The Crash Course Artificial Intelligence series on YouTube does a great deep dive into AI. Featuring easy to follow explainers, this playlist has everything you need to get a quick understanding of AI.
These courses will get you started but you’ll also need to find ways to get hands on with generative AI.
If you’ve already tried ChatGPT, try some other free tools. As you experiment them, pay attention to what they do well and what they don’t do well. And remember, never share your company’s data with these tools.
Explore tools at futuretools.io or aitoolsdirectory.com.
Take our AI helper chatbot for a spin
We’ve got a friendly little chatbot that can answer questions about generative AI, AI terminology, AI products, and more. If you get stuck in your learning process or just have questions about Ai for non-programmers, give our little AI helper bot a try. Find it here.
