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Fast Company
19-05-2025
- Fast Company
Four free Coursera courses to jump-start your AI journey
Artificial intelligence: it's not just for tech experts anymore. Instead, a heaping helping of free online resources has emerged. These classes are specifically designed to welcome beginners into the world of AI, even if they possess little or no prior technical background. I selected these Coursera courses for their beginner-friendly approach, high ratings, and comprehensive coverage of foundational concepts and key AI domains. AI For Everyone If you're taking your very first steps into AI, ' AI For Everyone ' on Coursera is a great starting point. The course requires no prior experience in AI or programming, making it truly accessible to everyone, and it's got a reasonable completion time of around six hours. The curriculum is structured into four modules: What is AI?, Building AI Projects, Building AI in Your Company, and AI and Society. Google AI Essentials Another good starting point for your AI journey is the ' Google AI Essentials ' course. It offers a unique perspective on Google's AI philosophy and features hands-on activities and real-world scenarios. Similar to 'AI For Everyone' mentioned above, 'Google AI Essentials' is designed to be accessible to individuals of all skill levels. The six-hour course is structured into five modules: Introduction to AI, Maximize Productivity With AI Tools, Discover the Art of Prompting, Use AI Responsibly, and Stay Ahead of the AI Curve. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence For a slightly more structured and in-depth introduction to the foundational concepts of AI, the ' Introduction to Artificial Intelligence ' course offered by IBM on Coursera is an excellent option. This 12-hour course aims to equip beginners with a solid understanding of core AI concepts, and incorporates videos, readings, assignments, and even hands-on labs. The curriculum is divided into four modules that cover a range of essential topics: Introduction and Applications of AI; AI Concepts, Terminology, and Application Domains; Business and Career Transformation Through AI; and Issues, Concerns, and Ethical Considerations. Introduction to Generative AI Don't have 6–12 hours to get up to speed with the aforementioned courses? Skip right to the good stuff with the ' Introduction to Generative AI ' course, which offers an overview of . . . well, what most people are referring to when they mention AI nowadays (whether they realize it or not). The course defines generative AI, explains its underlying mechanisms, describes the different types of generative AI models, and discusses how the technology is used in the real world. It's worth noting that this course is part of a larger 'Introduction to Generative AI Learning Path Specialization,' so if you find the topic particularly engaging, you'll be able to keep the good times rolling with additional courses.
Business Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Tictag, Hatch tap AVPN's AI Opportunity Fund to train marginalised groups in AI
[SINGAPORE] When non-profit organisation AVPN surveyed 3,000 respondents, it found that only 15 per cent of them have taken part in artificial intelligence (AI) skill programmes, while 57 per cent were unaware that such resources exist. However, about 91 per cent said they are keen to learn AI-related skills – especially as AI is expected to contribute US$3 trillion to Asia-Pacific's gross domestic product, noted Moutushi Sengupta, senior adviser at AVPN. She added: 'Routine tasks – from scheduling to compliance checks – are increasingly being automated, while new roles are emerging in areas such as AI governance, healthcare and advanced manufacturing.' Therefore, AVPN launched the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, supported by and the Asian Development Bank. Forty-nine organisations across the region have been selected to receive funding and guidance from this US$15 million initiative. Although the fund was initiated last year, the chosen organisations were announced only in early May. The fund aims to train and upskill groups of workers in AI, as part of a three-year programme. Marginalised communities, such as migrant workers and persons with disabilities (PWDs), will benefit. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up AVPN worked with its strategic partners, such as AI Singapore, to develop localised AI training programmes based on Google AI Essentials, said Sengupta. With this fund, AVPN has adopted a train-the-trainer approach to reach a larger pool of beneficiaries. 'By equipping organisations with the resources to deliver localised, language-specific AI training, we enable them to deliver this knowledge directly to their own communities. This approach ensures the training provided is relevant, accessible and deeply rooted in local contexts, while also multiplying its impact and reach beyond what any single organisation can achieve alone,' she added. Upskilling for local communities The two organisations chosen from Singapore were Tictag and Hatch. Both operate in the AI and digital space, running upskilling programmes for local communities. In an interview with The Business Times, Kevin Quah, co-founder and chief executive of Tictag, said: 'We want to be able to foster inclusive AI development by not only involving people within the AI economy, but also providing foundational AI skills training to different communities that have unmet needs across Asia-Pacific.' With this particular fund, Tictag aims to 'deliver more accessible AI-focused training modules' to migrant workers, teaching skills such as data management and collection. These foundational skills can enhance their employability, enabling them to pursue entrepreneurship or higher-paying roles. 'Migrant workers might not see AI in action in their day-to-day jobs. We want to expose them to the larger AI ecosystem and give them the skills they need to hopefully enrich their own communities – not just here, but also back home,' Quah said. 'One of the gaps we identified was that migrant workers expressed a desire to learn other skills besides their jobs.' Tictag works with different social service organisations to reach migrant workers from various sectors, including domestic workers. So far, it has collaborated with 16 such organisations to train more than 200 individuals, including migrant workers, PWDs and refugees. Meanwhile, Hatch uses digital tools to help underserved communities upskill, and runs training and employment programmes. Since it was founded in 2018, it has trained more than 1,400 individuals and has an 87 per cent job placement rate. Hatch uses digital tools to help underserved communities upskill. PHOTO: HATCH With the AI Opportunity Fund, the social enterprise hopes to help a broader range of beneficiaries, including women returning to the workforce, senior workers with limited digital exposure, and PWDs. It collaborated with AI Singapore to develop and customise the curriculum. Yeoh Wan Qing, co-founder and chief product officer of Hatch, said: 'AI changes a lot of things in the digital sector – processes are now shorter and faster. We wanted to help because the groups that we work with fall behind (as) they are not ahead with their skills.' She added that many of Hatch's beneficiaries are employed in industries that are 'quite prone to being automated because of the AI revolution', such as administration. Teaching AI skill sets will help them be more efficient at work. 'We've decided to customise a certain part of the curriculum into applications for different sectors – coming up with more use cases on how they can see these skills being applied in their own work and daily lives,' Yeoh said. Those who require moderate support such as early career workers can tap Hatch's AI Readiness Program Core Track, a structured online learning programme; while those who require additional guidance and accommodations such as PWDs can tap the AI Readiness Program Enhanced Support Track. In the fund's second phase, will commit an additional US$10 million to AVPN for AI upskilling initiatives to support micro, small and medium enterprises in South-east Asia.
Express Tribune
24-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Sindh offers 30,000 digital skills scholarships in partnership with Google
Listen to article The Sindh government has launched a major initiative in collaboration with Google and Tech Valley Pakistan to provide over 30,000 scholarships for digital skills training to students at public sector universities across the province. Announced at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at CM House, the programme will offer Google Career Certificates in high-demand fields including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, IT Automation, and Project Management. "This partnership is a testament to our vision of transforming Sindh into a hub of innovation and skill development," Shah stated, noting that the programme will also promote gender inclusivity by ensuring at least 30% female participation. The certificates, developed by Google experts, allow students to complete flexible online courses in as little as three to six months—no degree required. Graduates from previous cohorts have already secured jobs in leading firms, with salaries reportedly reaching up to Rs 1.6 million per month. One such success story is Leena Kumari, a student from the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, who completed the Google AI Essentials course and secured a placement at Evolution. Her story was even featured by Google. The programme will expand across 30 public universities and include new specialisations like Prompting Essentials and Agile Essentials. It also complements the ongoing Soft Skills & Career Kamyabi Sindh Programme, which provides training in CV writing, interview skills, and communication. Kyle Gardener, Government Affairs & Public Policy Lead at Google, said the initiative reflects Google's commitment to helping students 'unlock new career opportunities and drive economic growth.'
