IBM will train you in AI fundamentals for free, and give you a skill credential – in 10 hours

Lengthy earlier than ChatGPT blasted onto the scene and sucked all of the air out of the room, there was IBM Watson. Watson itself rose to fame when, in 2011, it beat reigning champion Ken Jennings on the TV recreation present Jeopardy.

Enjoyable reality: ZDNET’s personal Steven J. Vaughn-Nichols was as soon as a clue on Jeopardy.

Anyway, again to our story. My level is that IBM has a protracted historical past with AI and has not been sitting nonetheless. Its generative AI resolution, Watsonx, focuses on enabling companies to deploy and handle each conventional machine studying and generative AI, tailor-made to their distinctive wants.

I am telling you this as a result of if any firm has the cred to supply a credential on AI fundamentals, it is IBM.

IBM’s AI Fundamentals program is obtainable on its SkillsBuild studying portal. The credential takes about 10 hours to finish, throughout six programs.

As a result of I’ve lengthy had an curiosity in AI ethics (I did a thesis on AI ethics approach again within the day), I took the AI ethics class. It was good.

It mentioned the problem of balancing know-how with moral accountability. Key subjects included the 5 pillars of AI ethics, the significance of equity and avoiding bias, and the necessity for AI methods to be clear, explainable, and sturdy in opposition to assaults. The session additionally emphasised governance, the safety of non-public information, and the importance of privateness via information minimization and differential privateness.

I subsequently took all of the programs within the credential program. 

Notice: To get began, create a free account on IBM’s SkillsBuild studying portal. All the next hyperlinks to IBM’s free AI programs require you to have created an account and be logged in earlier than you need to use them. 

IBM’s free AI programs

Synthetic Intelligence Fundamentals Studying Plan: You will discover AI’s historical past, after which see the way it can change the world. Alongside the way in which, you may dive deep into ways in which AI makes predictions, understands language and pictures, and learns utilizing circuits impressed by the human mind. After a hands-on simulation through which you construct and take a look at a machine studying mannequin, you may end with recommendations on how you can discover your profession in AI.

Introduction to Synthetic Intelligence (1 hour and quarter-hour): Lower than a century outdated, AI has already undergone three waves of transformative growth. Right this moment it offers humanity probably the most highly effective instruments for analyzing complicated information, not solely to seek out which means but in addition to study with out human intervention. On this course, you may survey AI’s historical past and discover ways in which it may possibly make clear unstructured information.

Pure Language Processing and Laptop Imaginative and prescient (1 hour and half-hour): You would possibly already know that some AI methods can perceive human language, determine visible pictures, and even create authentic artwork. However are you aware how these methods do it? On this course, you may discover the idea of pure language and imaginative and prescient processing and find out how these applied sciences drive real-world mechanisms resembling chatbots and picture evaluation.

Machine Studying and Deep Studying (2 hours): On this course, you may see how machines can study and make wonderful, evidence-based predictions. Discover the logic behind computer systems’ potential to study, then examine new ways in which AI methods impressed by neurons within the human mind can resolve tough issues.

Run AI Fashions with IBM Watson Studio (1 hour and 45 minutes): On this course, you may apply making a machine studying mannequin in a collection of simulations, utilizing IBM Watson Studio. That is hands-on time that may assist you do precise work with AI.

AI Ethics (1 hour and 45 minutes): You may need heard about issues that come up when AI methods misread information or suggest options that mirror human prejudice. That is the course I talked about above. By means of real-world examples, you may find out about AI ethics, how they’re applied, and why AI ethics are so essential in constructing reliable AI methods.

Your Future in AI: The Job Panorama (1 hour): Are you contemplating a profession in AI? On this course, study in regards to the AI job market’s fast progress and the abilities wanted for achievement on this thrilling subject. You will hear how actual professionals received their begin, and discover assets and studying alternatives that would assist you work alongside them.

My expertise taking IBM’s AI programs

Most classes are a mix of studying, with a number of highlight movies thrown in. They finish with a quiz. Since you’ll be able to retake the quiz time and again till you get it proper, there isn’t any have to worry take a look at taking. I received a lot of the quizzes right on the primary strive, however when my little canine distracted me, I wound up retaking one — with no unfavourable influence on my coursework.

Every course dives into a side of AI and helps clarify it. Definitely, I’ve a greater really feel for a few of the generative AI processes than I did earlier than taking it. Extra to the purpose, the programs have been fascinating and the video lectures partaking. There have been additionally some interactive experiences within the course that I discovered compelling.

A lot of the programs are vendor-agnostic, however there was a Watson course that was particular to IBM’s choices. It did not take greater than an hour or so, and whereas I am not in IBM’s goal marketplace for their providing, it wasn’t a waste of time to study what IBM has for AI-related options.

As I mentioned earlier, I favored the ethics part. For those who’re fascinated by a job in AI, you may just like the final session, which is a full dive into what to anticipate if you wish to work on this subject. It is well worth the value of admission (even when the admission wasn’t free) for that session alone.

I wound up with an official certificates, which I placed on my LinkedIn profile. Total, the course was a fantastic expertise, and I received rather a lot out of it.

Additionally, a number of of you requested about signing up for the course. There was some confusion as a result of you’ll be able to’t get to the course straight. Make sure you go to the principle IBM SkillBuild entry portal and create an account. Upon getting a verified account (it is free), then you will get into the programs IBM provides.

The truth is, for those who go to this web page (you must be logged in), you may see a bunch of quick, lower than an hour, e-learning alternatives. They embrace:

• What’s synthetic intelligence?
• Introduction to Generative AI
• Mastering the Artwork of Prompting
• Enhance Your Resume Writing with Generative AI
• Synthetic Intelligence in Apply

Lastly, the IBM people requested me to inform you additionally they supply a free Fundamentals of Sustainability and Know-how course. You could find it on SkillBuild as nicely. That course additionally provides a verifiable credential.

Extra assets

That is the third article in our collection of free studying assets for these fascinated by exploring AI or constructing a profession round this wonderful know-how. Make sure you try The perfect free AI programs (and whether or not AI ‘micro-degrees’ and certificates are price it) for the opposite free programs we have explored.

So, there you go. Enroll now and use your spare time to get a brand new credential. For those who take any of those programs, please report again within the feedback beneath and tell us what you suppose.

You’ll be able to comply with my day-to-day undertaking updates on social media. Make sure you subscribe to my weekly replace publication on Substack, and comply with me on Twitter at @DavidGewirtz, on Fb at Fb.com/DavidGewirtz, on Instagram at Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, and on YouTube at YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.