Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the world. All major industries ranging from finance to healthcare now adopt artificial intelligence. Undoubtedly, businesses that aren’t keeping up with the most up-to-date developments in AI will be left behind.
It is crucial for business leaders to be up-to-date with the newest developments in the field and understand how to utilize the technology to strengthen their business model.
Still, choosing the right AI course can be challenging. Some courses can be too technical and may not be suitable for executives who have no prior background in computer science or programming.
Furthermore, some online courses are cash-grab courses that lack quality. You may end up spending course fees and valuable time to no avail.
Thus, I decided to do the heavy lifting for my audience. This article will only feature the best AI courses designed for business leaders. You can then comfortably choose the one that suits your preferences.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post from Victory Tale contains affiliate links. We will receive a small commission from the course providers if you purchase AI courses through them.
Nonetheless, we always value integrity and prioritize our audience’s interests. You can then rest assured that we will present all the courses truthfully.
Things You Should Know
Prerequisites
Most courses on this list require students to have background knowledge on the following:
Unless indicated otherwise, you don’t need prior technical knowledge (programming, machine learning models, natural language processing, computer vision, etc.)
Criteria
Below are the criteria for the best AI for business leaders courses.
Udacity
Udacity is an excellent platform for students who want to strengthen their skills. In addition to its superb curriculum, all Udacity programs grant access to bootcamp-like student support. Hence, you can rest assured that if you get stuck, assistance is not out of reach.
1. AI for Business Leaders
Designed exclusively for business leaders, this executive program will go through artificial intelligence and machine learning foundations. You will learn the theories and methods to implement AI technology to stimulate corporate growth and increase productivity.
Course Content
This program comprises eight sections as follows:
1. The Paradigm Shift – The first section will explain key machine learning terms and concepts, such as models, algorithms, test sets, training, etc. Subsequently, you will learn about AI use cases for business and evaluate the feasibility and impact.
2. The Math Behind the Magic – In the second section, you will learn how data can influence a machine learning model and understand the difference among techniques, including classification, regression, simulation, etc.
Later on, the instructor will guide you through deep learning, its applications, and how to apply it with other AI tasks such as reinforcement learning and predictive modeling.
3. Architectures of AI Systems – The third section will drill deep into AI architectures. You will learn about classifiers, regressors, optimizers, and others.
In the second part of the course, you will learn about natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision. Finally, you will build architectures for chatbots, negotiation engines, and visual classifiers.
4. Working with Data – This section will discuss the requirements of an AI infrastructure. You will understand how to label data and overcome implementation hurdles.
Later on, you will evaluate data readiness to assess the feasibilities of AI use cases in various business scenarios.
5. Accuracy, Bias, and Ethics – The fifth section deals with essential parameters for machine learning models. You will also learn about ethical frameworks related to AI implementations.
6. Gathering Feedback – The sixth section will guide you through how to gather valuable feedback on model prototypes from key stakeholders. Once you obtain the feedback, you will analyze it to evaluate business use cases.
7. Thinking Better – You will build a roadmap for deploying machine learning applications that complement one another. Finally, you will create a business proposal that integrates several use cases into a business story.
8. Capstone Project – You will use all your knowledge from previous sections to create a robust and achievable AI strategy based on multiple use cases.
Besides the lectures, you will be working on several assignments and projects. Upon program completion, you will obtain substantial hands-on experience that you can develop further upon.
According to Udacity, you should spend 5 hours per week on the course, and you will complete the program in no more than eight weeks. However, as the program is self-paced, you can set your schedule at will.
Student Support
As mentioned above, all Udacity students can access bootcamp-like support as follows:
Mentor Support – If you have encountered technical issues or struggled with any part of the program, you can use the ticketing system or email to ask questions to mentors at any time (24/7).
The response will be swift, as most students will receive a reply in less than an hour. Hence, you no longer need to wait for days for an instructor’s reply.
Project Reviews – You can request experts to review your projects, provide personalized feedback, and inform you about ways to improve them.
Unlike several learning platforms, there is no limit to the number of requests you can make. Thus, you can create a healthy feedback loop that aids your understanding of concepts.
Career Services – The team will review your resume, LinkedIn profile, and Github portfolio for those interested in landing a high-paying role in a thriving AI industry. However, this service may not be beneficial for executives.
Pricing
Udacity uses a subscription-based pricing model. This program costs $249 per month. The annual package would be significantly cheaper, since it saves 20%. In addition, Udacity frequently gives out discounts and financial support as high as a 40% off. As a result, you can enroll in this program at $120 per month or lower.
Furthermore, due to recent changes, you can know access the entire catalog of Udacity learning platform. This makes Udacity a much more attractive investment than before, especially for those who are avid learners.
Compared to other alternatives that cost several thousands of dollars, this program apparently provides excellent value for money.
[sc name=”udacity” ][/sc]Pros & Cons
Pros
- Comprehensive and in-depth curriculum
- Various real-life case studies to study from
- Self-paced learning
- Sufficient assignments and real-life AI projects for students to get hands-on experience
- Fast and timely technical support
- Unlimited Project Reviews
- Manageable weekly commitment
- More affordable than most other alternatives
- Flexible payment options
Cons
- Meager networking opportunities: You will spend most of your time working on your own.
- No certificate from a prestigious university
Getsmarter
Getsmarter is a platform that allows students to take the best courses from numerous globally recognized universities and get a flawless virtual learning experience.
Compared to Udacity, Getsmarter programs encourage students to interact with one another much more. All students will participate in class-wide forums and small group discussions, hence providing excellent networking opportunities.
Note: I will provide a summary of the course content for each program. However, I still recommend getting course brochures for all programs you are interested in to grasp all the program details and make better decisions.
Note 2: Getsmarter programs are only available in some parts of the year. If you miss the start date, you will need to wait for the universities to open the next session.
2. Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy
This program from MIT on Getsmarter will provide an overview of the AI world and guide you to develop a practical roadmap to leverage AI for your organization.
Course Content
The entire program consists of six modules in total. Below is a summary of what you will learn all the modules
- The definition of AI and how AI can be instrumental in building a strategic advantage for any organization
- How businesses from various industries currently adopt AI
- Evaluating essential aspects of machine learning applications
- Exploring natural language processing (NLP) and how to apply the technology in a business context to gain a competitive advantage
- Deep dive into robotics as a transformative technology
- General implications of AI for business and society
- Future trends in artificial intelligence
Compared to Udacity’s program, this one focuses much less on the technical aspects. Instead, most of the course time will focus on sharpening your business acumen to use AI most productively.
You should spend 6-8 hours per week on the program, and you will complete it in 6 weeks.
Course Fees: $3200
3. Machine Learning in Business
This program is again from MIT. You will explore the benefits and impacts of the rising machine learning technology and learn how to incorporate it into your business strategy handily.
Course Content
The curriculum consists of 6 modules in total. Below is a summary of the course content.
- Machine learning definition and how businesses use it to drive growth
- Various types of machine learning and their characteristics, relevant technologies, and best methods to use them
- Human vs. AI in business
- How machine learning uses sensor data and how to effectively implement such models appropriately in business
- Explore machine learning that uses written/spoken language data and its technical and business implications
- Deep dive into machine learning that uses transaction data: You will explore business and technical considerations and assess the business value in implementing such machine learning models.
- Develop an implementation plan for machine learning and explore challenges, trends, and future impact of machine learning in business
Unlike the second program, this one will drill deeper into the technical aspects of machine learning and AI. The curriculum is not as in-depth technically as Udacity, but you will explore machine learning applications in several industries (Financial Services and Healthcare) in detail.
The pace of this program is in line with the previous program: 6-8 hours per week for six weeks
Course Fees: $3200
4. Oxford Artificial Intelligence Programme
Suppose you are looking for an artificial intelligence course that does not go too in-depth into the technicals. In that case, this online program from the University of Oxford is worth your consideration.
Course Content
Like other programs on Getsmarter, this one comprises six modules. The following is a summary of what you will learn from the course.
- Artificial Intelligence Ecosystem: Definition, History, Different types of AI
- How data and machine learning approach can provide solutions for numerous business problems
- Machine Learning Approaches: Supervised Learning, Unsupervised Learning, Reinforcement Learning
- Benefits and limitations of AI and machine learning
- Overview of deep learning and neural networks
- How to work effectively with AI
- Ethics and regulatory considerations of AI usage
- Business opportunities of AI
From an overall perspective, this program provides a general overview of the latest advancements of AI technology. In essence, you will understand how AI can impact the workforce and be able to formulate a sound strategy for your organization.
Course Fees: $3196
Getsmarter Programs Pros & Cons
Pros
- Learn from faculty members of prestigious universities and industry experts
- Self-paced learning
- Numerous rich, real-world case studies to study from
- Interactive course materials: Infographics, Live Polls, etc.
- Interact and socialize with your peers through small group discussions and class-wide forums
- Flexible payment options
- Earn a noteworthy certificate of completion
Cons
- Costly compared to other alternatives
- Not always available
5. AI For Business Specialization
Suppose you are looking for more affordable courses. This Coursera specialization from Wharton is probably the best you could find. You will learn the fundamentals of AI and machine learning and perceive how to incorporate them into your business models.
Course Content
This specialization comprises four minor courses as follows:
1. AI Fundamentals for Non-Data Scientists – The first course essentially summarizes all concepts and techniques of machine learning and deep learning. You will understand how data scientists handle and interpret big data and build algorithms for specific tasks.
In addition, you learn to use no-code AI tools and develop different strategies.
2. AI Applications in Marketing and Finance – The second course will drill deep into AI-powered applications designed for usage in marketing and finance.
In marketing, you will learn how AI tools can enrich customer experiences, extend customer lifecycle, and analyze customer habits. While in finance, you will learn how AI can detect fraud, assess credit risks, and protect customer data.
3. AI Applications in People Management – The third course will explain how businesses can apply AI to HR management. You will learn how AI can manage the employee lifecycle and help supervisors select the best candidates.
4. AI Strategy and Governance – In the final course, you will learn about AI strategies that you can implement to gain a competitive advantage. Later on, you will perceive how AI can be instrumental in structure an effective and responsible governance strategy.
Essentially, this program will elucidate the benefits and impact of AI in particular industries and explore reliable strategies that may be suitable for implementing at your enterprise.
Wharton suggests spending 2 hours each week on the courses, and you will complete the program in 4 months.
Like other Coursera specializations, you can audit all the courses for free. However, if you want graded assignments and a digital certificate, you will need to pay $39 to access them.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Learn from faculty members from a top business school
- Well-structured curriculum
- Informative lessons
- Feature interviews with various industry leaders
- Affordable pricing
- Free auditing
Cons
- A digital certificate is given to you by Coursera, not Wharton.
- Student support is not the best.
- The transcripts are not well-organized, thus they are difficult to read.
6. AI for Leaders
If you want to test the waters, this introductory course from Babson college on the edX platform is one of the best courses available online. You will learn how AI can impact all aspects of your business so that you can respond to new challenges efficiently.
Course Content
Below is a summary of topics that you will learn in the course:
- How platform business models and artificial intelligence technologies complement each other.
- How to leverage AI’s capabilities to improve every aspect of your organization, ranging from operations to employee engagement
- The significance of data
- How to catch up with the new trends and new generations of today’s AI-focused leaders
- Economics of AI-influenced technologies and business models
- Seven attributes of AI-led organizations
This course essentially explains how to be an effective leader in an AI-powered world and equips you with new skills to become one.
As an introductory course, you can complete it in a month by spending 4-6 hours weekly on it. Free auditing is also available. However, if you want graded assignments and a digital certificate, you need to pay $199.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Well-structured curriculum
- Concise, easy-to-follow lessons
- Feature several real-world case studies and numerous hands-on practice sessions
- Free auditing
Cons
- No advanced content. You will need another course if you want to implement AI in your organization strategically.
Other Alternatives
Artificial Intelligence Strategy – This program from UC Berkeley on the Getsmarter platform will explore current trends and the landscape of AI technologies. You will also learn to develop an effective AI strategy for your organization.
UC Berkeley has not yet announced upcoming start dates, so I need to leave the program here for now.
Using AI to Gain a Competitive Edge for your Customer Experience (CX) – This extremely concise course (4 hours) will provide tips and techniques for businesses to enhance customer experience and foster business growth through the use of AI technology.
Business leaders from various industries, mainly eCommerce, will find the course extremely helpful.
Relevant Courses
Below are lists of the best courses on multiple topics that you may find helpful if you need a deeper understanding of artificial intelligence or want to acquire new skills.
Machine Learning – If you want to be more comfortable managing or working with your data science teams, more knowledge in machine learning is crucial.
AI in Finance – Exclusive courses that illustrate the impact and benefits of AI in the financial services industry
AI in Healthcare – Artificial Intelligence is going to revolutionize the healthcare industry. Hence, healthcare practitioners worldwide have to gain AI expertise or learn to work with AI effectively. These courses will help them kickstart their journey with AI.
AI in Marketing – Coming Soon
