In celebration of AI Appreciation Day, global online learning platform Coursera has launched several new initiatives to empower individuals and institutions with GenAI skills. These include a new selection of GenAI-focused content and credentials, enhancements to the current Professional Certificate portfolio with GenAI-specific updates, and an expansion of Coursera’s GenAI Academy to help businesses equip their teams with GenAI skills.
As GenAI reshapes the world and 89% of executives rank AI and GenAI among their top three tech priorities for 2024, the launch of new content and upgrades on Coursera aims to meet the unprecedented demand for learning GenAI skills. The learning platform is witnessing accelerated demand for GenAI content, with 4 enrollments in GenAI courses per minute in 2024, up from one enrollment per minute in 2023. To date, Coursera has recorded over 2 million global enrollments across more than 250 GenAI courses and projects.
Jeff Maggioncalda, CEO of Coursera, said: “As the GenAI revolution unfolds, it is leaving individuals anxious about job security and businesses struggling to adapt. White-collar workers, in particular, must stand out by proving their GenAI skills in order to secure jobs and advance in their careers. On AI Appreciation Day, we are reminded of our collective responsibility to harness the potential of GenAI, turning it into an engine of opportunity for everyone.”
Introducing New GenAI Content to Help Learners Develop Latest GenAI Skills
This launch comes in the backdrop of studies revealing that 66% of leaders wouldn’t hire someone without AI skills, yet only 5% of companies have rolled out reskilling at scale. The newly launched courses on Coursera include:
● Generative AI for Software Developers Skills Certificate from DeepLearning.AI
● Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate from the University of Colorado Boulder
● Generative AI in Marketing Specialization from UVA Darden
● Programming with Generative AI course from IIT Guwahati
● Responsible Generative AI Specialization from the University of Michigan
● Change Management for Generative AI course from Vanderbilt University
● Generative AI for Kids, Parents, and Teachers course from Vanderbilt University
Enhancing Entry-level Professional Certificates with GenAI updates
Entry-level Professional Certificates on Coursera help learners enter high-demand fields like cybersecurity, data analytics, or project management within six months, with no prior degree or experience required. As GenAI transforms the labor market, mastering GenAI to enhance these roles is crucial. Eight entry-level Professional Certificates from top companies, like IBM, Microsoft, and Meta, are now updated with GenAI-specific content, including activities, readings, and videos.
Expanding GenAI Academy with Skills Training and Credentials for Teams
Coursera also announced the expansion of GenAI Academy with GenAI for Teams to equip teams to apply GenAI skills and best practices in a way that is unique to their business functions. With real-world applications and secure, hands-on practice, businesses and professional services firms can use GenAI Academy to unlock innovation and productivity across functional teams.
Learners in emerging markets, including India, Egypt, Pakistan, and Brazil, make up more than half (52%) of GenAI enrollments on Coursera as the learning platform is bridging the opportunity gap by expanding AI-powered translations to include more than 4,600 courses and 55 Professional Certificates in up to 21 popular languages, including Arabic, Hindi, and Spanish.
