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 an extended 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 credibility to supply a credential on AI fundamentals, it is IBM.
IBM’s AI Fundamentals program is out there 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 manner again within the day), I took the AI ethics class. It was good.
It mentioned the problem of balancing expertise with moral accountability. Key matters included the 5 pillars of AI ethics, the significance of equity and avoiding bias, and the necessity for AI techniques to be clear, explainable, and sturdy in opposition to assaults. The session additionally emphasised governance, the safety of non-public knowledge, and the importance of privateness by means of knowledge minimization and differential privateness.
I subsequently took all of the programs within the credential program.
Word: 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 should utilize them.
IBM’s free AI programs
Synthetic Intelligence Fundamentals Studying Plan: You may discover AI’s historical past, after which see the way it can change the world. Alongside the best way, you will 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 by which you construct and check a machine studying mannequin, you will end with recommendations on tips on how to discover your profession in AI.
Introduction to Synthetic Intelligence (1 hour and quarter-hour): Lower than a century previous, AI has already undergone three waves of transformative improvement. Right this moment it provides humanity essentially the most highly effective instruments for analyzing advanced knowledge, not solely to search out which means but additionally to be taught with out human intervention. On this course, you will survey AI’s historical past and discover methods it will possibly make clear unstructured knowledge.
Pure Language Processing and Pc Imaginative and prescient (1 hour and half-hour): You may already know that some AI techniques can perceive human language, establish visible pictures, and even create unique artwork. However are you aware how these techniques do it? On this course, you will discover the idea of pure language and imaginative and prescient processing and find out how these applied sciences drive real-world mechanisms reminiscent of chatbots and picture evaluation.
Machine Studying and Deep Studying (2 hours): On this course, you will see how machines can be taught and make wonderful, evidence-based predictions. Discover the logic behind computer systems’ means to be taught, then examine new methods AI techniques impressed by neurons within the human mind can resolve troublesome issues.
Run AI Fashions with IBM Watson Studio (1 hour and 45 minutes): On this course, you will observe making a machine studying mannequin in a collection of simulations, utilizing IBM Watson Studio. That is hands-on time that may show you how to do precise work with AI.
AI Ethics (1 hour and 45 minutes): You may need heard about issues that come up when AI techniques misread knowledge or suggest options that mirror human prejudice. That is the course I talked about above. Via real-world examples, you will study AI ethics, how they’re carried out, and why AI ethics are so essential in constructing reliable AI techniques.
Your Future in AI: The Job Panorama (1 hour): Are you contemplating a profession in AI? On this course, be taught in regards to the AI job market’s speedy development and the talents wanted for fulfillment on this thrilling discipline. You may hear how actual professionals acquired their begin and discover assets and studying alternatives that would show you how to work alongside them.
My expertise taking IBM’s AI programs
Most periods are a mix of studying, with just a few 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 test-taking. I acquired many of the quizzes right on the primary attempt, however when my little canine distracted me, I wound up retaking one — with no damaging affect on my coursework.
Every course dives into a facet of AI and helps clarify it. Surely, 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 had been fascinating and the video lectures participating. There have been additionally some interactive experiences within the course that I discovered compelling.
Many 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 be taught what IBM has for AI-related options.
As I mentioned earlier, I favored the ethics part. When you’re considering a job in AI, you will just like the final session, which is a full dive into what to anticipate if you wish to work on this discipline. It is definitely worth the worth 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. General, the course was an ideal expertise, and I acquired lots out of it.
A couple 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 immediately. Make sure you go to the primary IBM SkillBuild entry portal and create an account. Upon getting a verified account (it is free), you’ll be able to entry the programs IBM affords.
The truth is, in case you go to this web page (it’s good to be logged in), you will see a bunch of brief, less-than-an-hour e-learning alternatives. They embody:
- 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 of us requested me to let you know in addition they provide a free Fundamentals of Sustainability and Expertise course. You’ll find it on SkillBuild as effectively. That course additionally affords a verifiable credential.
Extra assets
That is the third article in our collection of free studying assets for these considering exploring AI or constructing a profession round this wonderful expertise. Make sure you take a look at The most effective 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. Join now and use your spare time to earn a brand new credential. When you take any of those programs, please report again within the feedback under and tell us what you suppose.
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