Top AI courses in 2024
Bob Armstrong
05 June, 2024
For the first time in nearly 30 years, Microsoft has introduced a new keyboard key across all its laptops. What does it do? It opens up Copilot, Microsoft’s AI assistant.
According to Microsoft, AI is set to transform the way we interact with our devices. The era of AI PCs has begun.
How can we harness it to innovate existing products and create new ones? How can AI improve the way companies work? In 2024, all eyes are on Artificial Intelligence and, with it, the ways we can prepare to use it.
AI does not work in a vacuum. To be able to use it, businesses must have their big data in order, learn to feed it to ML models, and ensure its safety at all times. AI impacts all of these jobs.
This is why it's very important for your team to be not just trained, but certified. Certifications are developed by respected IT organizations that have the pulse on industry trends. These certifications demonstrate your team's expertise in IT concepts, algorithms, and tools and attest to the quality of their work, ensuring that it meets quality standards or regulatory requirements such as safety and efficacy standards.
Here are several top courses for AI adoption in 2024.
1. Data Science
AI models are trained and operate on data. "The better structured and labelled a company's data, the easier it will be to implement AI, which is where data skills come in!" says the Head of Firebrand Data/AI Curriculum, Sean Rafter.
"In 2024, Data Engineers will pipeline data to models, Data Scientists will develop and assess those models, and Machine Learning Engineers will productionise those models," Sean adds.
If you want to ensure your knowledge of Data is up to speed, consider investing in the well-known and respected CompTIA Data+. If your tech stack is specialised in Azure, take a look at Azure Data Fundamentals or the Azure Data Engineer Associate; for Google Cloud, check out Big Data and Machine Learning Fundamentals.
Bonus tip: IBM also offer a Big Data Engineer certification with a thorough curriculum. Check it out.
2. Machine Learning
Machine Learning is the process of using data models to help computers learn and improve.
If you have experience in Cloud Computing, you can learn to create an Azure web app using Machine Learning during a one-day Microsoft workshop on Big Data & Visualisation.
If your tech stack focuses on Google, they have developed a comprehensive certification, the Google Cloud Professional Machine Learning Engineer, which may be what you need; also, if you have Python experience, you may be interested in the Data Visualisation and Machine Learning with Python developed by IBM.
Similarly, AWS have created a Machine Learning Specialty course that teaches you to design, implement, deploy, and maintain ML models using AWS Cloud. At Firebrand, this course is delivered in only 3 days. Find out more.
3. AI
Microsoft have been at the forefront of AI development and AI education, including their latest campaign, Get On AI, so it's no surprise that Microsoft certifications are wide-ranging and thorough. AI certifications help you build credibility within your company as well as externally, showing that your employer is forward-thinking in terms of AI.
If you use Microsoft Azure, you can attain the Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certification to attest your skills, as well as the Azure AI Engineer Associate. If you're interested in ChatGPT, don't miss this one: ChatGPT Embedding and Development within Microsoft.
If you don't necessarily need Microsoft expertise, check out The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) Foundation Certificate in Artificial Intelligence and Essentials Certificate in Artificial Intelligence.
4. Cyber Security
Whilst Generative AI is expected to increase business efficiency, it will also increase Cyber Security risks, prompting the need for certified Cyber Security specialists. If you're interested in Cyber Sec, getting certified now can help you capitalise on this trend.
Aim for an industry-recognised and respected certification such as CompTIA Security+, the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) certifications developed by ISC2, or the ISACA Certified Information Security Manager, also known as CISM.
Network Security and Ethical Hacking are still trending in this category, with EC-Council's Certified Network Defender (CND) and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) setting the stage for the industry; last but not least, depending on the scope of your business, you may want to brush up on Data Protection or hire a specialist.
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