Top Generative AI Courses of 2024: Skills to Develop in the Age of AI

Business leaders know that AI skills are critical for the future, but the rise of AI and other technological advancements challenges companies trying to upskill their workforce. A major obstacle faced by businesses is the lack of clarity regarding the specific AI skills their employees require.

Research from the Institute for Corporate Productivity (i4cp) shows that among companies with 1,000-plus employees:

• Only 15% are highly effective at analyzing the gap between current workforce skills and future needs
• Nearly half (43%) lack a process for analyzing workforce readiness
• And just 10% have a comprehensive employee skills database 

Organizations that align HR processes to match skill needs can boost employee engagement by 50%, lower training and development program costs by 50%, and increase productivity by 40%.

Hence, it is imperative for organizations to maintain an updated skills inventory. A skills inventory, made possible by standardized language for skills and job roles, enables data-driven decision-making for upskilling initiatives. This process, called skills mapping, enables targeted training, efficient resource allocation, and increased employee engagement.

Understanding current skills and future needs is critical for learning and development professionals responsible for AI skills development, especially given the diverse forms of AI. In this article, we will focus on transformative generative AI (gen AI) skills by showcasing the top 10 Gen AI courses available on the Credly platform. Additionally, we address the various challenges and opportunities inherent in this dynamic landscape.

The AI Skills Landscape

Gen AI is already being integrated into everyday applications — email, word processing, spreadsheets, meeting software and more. It requires little technical expertise to use and promises increased productivity. 

Companies are predicted to invest $200 billion globally by 2025 in generative AI. And the technology could affect 300 million jobs worldwide.  How is your organization preparing? Let us introduce you to the top ten generative AI courses and badges available on Credly, which can provide valuable insights and inspiration to help you prepare.

Top 10 Generative AI Courses and Badges on Credly 

Insights from the Credly platform, the leading digital credentials platform, provide a snapshot of how employees are upskilling and reskilling for an AI future. Here are the current top 10 generative AI badges and credentials on Credly.

1. Generative AI Essentials / Issued by IBM
   Topics: Applications of generative AI in different industries; common models and tools for text, code, image, audio and video generation.
   
   
2. Generative AI: Prompt Engineering / Issued by IBM
   Topics: Prompt engineering in generative AI models, including commonly used tools, and best practices for creating effective prompts.
   
   
3. ODSC Generative AI Summit / Issued by O'Reilly Media
   Topics: Leveraging generative AI tools, techniques and applications; applying machine learning and large language models (LLMs) in various domains.
   
   
4. Generative AI for Developers / Issued by O'Reilly Media
   Topics: Creating generative AI apps as well as embeddings, fine-tuning, zero-shot/no-shot learning, sentiment detection, blog creation, language translation, plugins and automation.
   
   
5. Generative AI with Dan Jeffries / Issued by O'Reilly Media
   Topics: Current developments in generative AI, open-source AI research, and state-of-the-art AI models; applying this knowledge to build applications and solve complex problems. 
   
   
6. Generative AI Introduction / Issued by O'Reilly Media
   Topics: Generating original images using text-to-image models without coding; customizing images with inpainting and outpainting techniques.
   
   
7. Generative AI Engineering / Issued by Accelebrate
   Topics: Integrating LLMs into AI applications, application security, and building generative AI models for text generation, image synthesis and summarization.
   
   
8. Mastering Generative AI in Marketing — Strategies, Tools, and Ethical Practice, Issued by In Professional Development 
   Topics: Generative AI and its ongoing impact on the marketing landscape; uses in content creation, audience engagement and digital advertising.
   
   
9. Generative AI & Automation Influencer - 2024 / Issued by Microsoft Security
   Requirements: Demonstrated skills and provided in-depth technical knowledge and feedback on generative AI and automation product features.
   
   
10. Generative AI Skilled! at Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit / Issued by Microsoft Philanthropies Digital Skills
    Requirements: Attended the Leveling up on AI Skills session at the Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit and gained skills to improve productivity as nonprofit leaders.

AI Skills to Watch in 2024

• Data science: Using scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems to extract knowledge and insights from data.
• Generative artificial intelligence: Using AI designed to generate new content — text, code, voice, images, videos and more.
• Large language models (LLMs): Working with deep learning models trained on vast amounts of data or text to understand, summarize, generate and predict new content.
• Artificial intelligence (AI): Leveraging machine intelligence in tasks or work processes.
• Automation: Using technology to automate repetitive tasks, increase productivity and while minimizing human input.
• AI applications: Working with applications and systems that apply artificial intelligence techniques to real-world situations.

On top of that, according to the Deloitte AI Institute, additional AI skills that will be in demand in the future include:

•  AI prompting: the ability to effectively communicate with AI systems using natural language
• AI fluency: the ability to understand and interpret the outputs of AI systems
• AI ethics: the ability to understand and address the ethical implications of AI

In addition to these technical skills, experts stress the importance of soft skills such as creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking. These skills are essential for workers collaborating with AI systems. Recognizing employees who have developed these skills through digital badges can serve as a powerful motivational tool.

The Role of Digital Credentials for AI Skill Development

In today's rapidly evolving landscape, digital credential platforms like Credly are essential tools for managing credentialing needs, particularly in emerging fields like AI. Digital badges and credentials offer numerous benefits:

• Increased Employee Engagement and Retention: Recognizing and rewarding employees with digital credentials for their achievements fosters a culture of appreciation and motivates employees to excel. This, in turn, boosts morale, enhances job satisfaction, and contributes to higher employee retention rates.
• Streamlined Compliance and Certification Processes: Digital credentials offer a more efficient and secure way to manage compliance and certification processes within organizations. They provide verifiable proof that employees' certifications are up-to-date, simplifying audits and ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Enhanced Brand Reputation: Organizations that invest in digital credentialing demonstrate their commitment to employee development. This enhances their reputation as an employer of choice and attracts top talent in the industry.
• Facilitated Knowledge Sharing: Digital credentials provide a common language for skill recognition across departments and teams within an organization. This fosters knowledge-sharing and collaboration among employees, leading to increased innovation and productivity.
• Improved Decision-Making: By leveraging data from digital credentials, organizations can gain insights into their workforce's skills and competencies. This enables better strategic decision-making regarding talent management, workforce planning, and resource allocation.

As AI rapidly evolves, employers will need to monitor workforce skills, forecast future needs based on business strategy, and deliver high-ROI upskilling programs. Digital credentials are a tool for validating AI skills that meet organizational needs. Talk to our team to find out more.