Learn AI

A Comprehensive Guide to Start Learning AI

Generative artificial intelligence is an emerging machine learning technology that is utilzied to help streamline workflow and assist in various day-to-day tasks, depending on the professional field.

Artificial intelligence is both a field and tool that is used in various industries and job positions. As a tool, artificial intelligence is the act of a computer mimicking human behavior to optimize workflow, enhance customer experiences, analyze data, increase profits, and develop new ideas. If you’ve always wanted to learn Artificial Intelligence but can’t figure out how to get started, this guide is for you. Here, you’ll learn more about the various ways to learn Artificial Intelligence, free resources to take advantage of, and the types of careers that commonly use Artificial Intelligence.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial intelligence refers to computer programs and machines programmed to think, talk, and operate like humans. This includes a wide range of technologies and strategies such as machine learning, robotics, and natural language processing. Artificial intelligence systems help businesses and individuals perform tasks that are otherwise daunting or tedious for humans, such as identifying trends in data, making decisions, and solving problems. Essentially, artificial intelligence mimics human behavior enough to perform tasks without any human intervention. It is an effective, efficient, and innovative way to complete tasks and improve business practices. This often leads to optimized workflow and increased profits

With the world becoming increasingly reliant on technology to sustain growth, it’s becoming more worthwhile to learn artificial intelligence. These skills are among some of the most in-demand across all industries because they often save time, money, and energy by automating tasks that otherwise would be too strenuous or expensive. As a result, many career opportunities pay generously for artificial intelligence experts. With the right tools, you can contribute to the growing field and develop new and exciting tools and concepts alongside other technologies. Not to mention, learning artificial intelligence can increase your problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, which are necessary across all fields. Overall, learning artificial intelligence can lead to a meaningful and long-running career across numerous fields and industries.

Read more about what Artificial Intelligence is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial intelligence is mainly used for automation. This is the practice of using technology to complete tasks with zero or minimal human intervention. This increases efficiency, enhances the product or service quality, and revolutionizes industries. In truth, automation can be applied to anything from regular household items, like a thermostat, to large machinery such as a robot operating in a warehouse. Artificial intelligence can detect time-saving routes for delivery drivers, optimize customer service chatbots, manage inventory data to handle resources effectively and solve complex business issues that would otherwise take a long time to fix.

As a result, there are many job positions that require some artificial intelligence skills or full expertise. Although it’s true that artificial intelligence can be used in the automotive, retail, manufacturing, and transportation industries, it can even aid in medical research and enhance practices. Artificial intelligence can help monitor patient data or detect anomalies in medical tests such as X-rays and MRIs. Overall, automation can track health data in real time with the help of monitoring sensors and devices. This is revolutionary for surgical procedures and those suffering from chronic illnesses.

Because artificial intelligence is deeply ingrained in the technology industry, there are many ways to apply its benefits to websites, social media platforms, streaming services, televisions, and other digital devices. For instance, an artificial intelligence expert can personalize websites for consumers so they operate and show items in order of importance. In addition, a streaming service company, such as Netflix or Hulu, may use artificial intelligence to provide their viewers with customized recommendations. Even social media platforms use artificial intelligence to drive consumers to business pages, which can increase following and viewership. Truly, the possibilities of artificial intelligence are endless.

Careers that Use Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be used in virtually every industry. Naturally, artificial intelligence can be found in the technology industry. Data Scientists, for instance, employ AI techniques for machine learning which includes building predictive models for spam detection, sales predictions, and anomaly detection. They will also use artificial intelligence to predict trends, anticipate sales, and monitor the stock market. Overall, artificial intelligence helps Data Scientists perform their role more efficiently by automating tasks, increasing profits, and easing the decision-making process. Plus, the growth of both artificial intelligence and the Data Scientist position (which is predicted to increase 35% over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) makes artificial intelligence worth pursuing in some capacity. Data Scientists can work in numerous fields as well, ranging from finance and healthcare to retail and marketing, so the job possibilities are vast and plentiful.

Additionally, marketing professionals use artificial intelligence to help them provide the most personalized, effective experience for consumers. A Digital Marketer, Social Media Strategist, or Marketing Manager would use artificial intelligence to customize content for certain audiences, perform analytics for recent marketing campaigns, predict trends in the market, and upload content across different channels. Artificial intelligence can also automate functions that would otherwise take time, such as scheduling posts and searching for new target audiences. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that marketing positions are expected to grow faster than most within the next decade, which makes sense as marketing is needed across virtually every industry. Much like Data Scientists, marketing professionals can work in healthcare, retail, education, finance, and many other industries. As a result, the need for Marketers is ever-growing and highly necessary.

Business Analysts are often proficient in artificial intelligence as well. In the world of business, technologies are constantly emerging and expanding. As such, a Business Analyst typically uses artificial intelligence for everything from data analysis and visualization to customer categorization and risk management. Business Analysts will leverage their artificial intelligence skills to automate tasks and optimize their workflow, which assists with strategizing, decision-making, and planning for the next steps. Similar to other positions that use artificial intelligence, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects business and financial opportunities to grow exponentially in years to come. Business Analysts can work in virtually any field where a company relies on sales to expand and develop as a brand, so there are ample opportunities for employment in retail, finance, tourism, and myriad other industries.

Why Learn Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial intelligence is virtually indispensable in this new digital age. It has driven innovation across different industries, including healthcare, finance, education, transportation, and entertainment. Businesses seek out artificial intelligence experts to handle the technology so it can effectively analyze data, provide insights, and automate time-consuming tasks. If you have experience with artificial intelligence, you can easily leverage your skills to fix issues, speed up business processes, and create innovative and useful products. Because of this, artificial intelligence is more popular now than ever and has become a large fixture in the job market.

Furthermore, learning artificial intelligence enables individuals to think critically and honestly about the needs of consumers in ways that haven’t been done before. It promotes innovation and leads to the creation of unique products and services that were otherwise difficult to access or previously in an untapped market. By learning artificial intelligence, you could be part of new and exciting research efforts and create positive change in the everyday lives of consumers.

How to Learn Artificial Intelligence

If you want to learn artificial intelligence, you can explore many options ranging from in-person and online to asynchronous and synchronous. However, before you enroll in a course, consider what your end goal is. If you want to use artificial intelligence for professional purposes, you would benefit most from live classes (either in-person or live online). This method is the most immersive and provides students with a realistic expectation for how to use the tools and skills that are covered in the class. For instance, in a live class, students will complete projects that are rooted in a realistic workplace situation, collaborate with like-minded peers, and receive feedback in real time from an expert instructor. One of the most advantageous parts of a live class is the ability to ask the instructor for clarification and receive immediate assistance. Plus, many live classes have benefits that other options don’t, much like the resources provided at Noble Desktop. You can search for in-person artificial intelligence classes in your area or live online artificial intelligence classes through Noble Desktop’s tools.

On-demand classes are another option for learning artificial intelligence. These asynchronous, self-paced courses allow students to learn at their convenience. On-demand classes can be worthwhile for someone learning artificial intelligence for personal reasons, for a low-stakes project at work, or as a professional trying to upskill or refresh their memory. An on-demand class is fairly hands-off, despite the course provider supplying the course material. Students will flip through various reading materials, watch video tutorials, and complete quizzes and projects. This is a useful training method for the busy professional or hobbyist, but if you are a beginner and want to become an expert, an on-demand class may not be the easiest way to begin your professional journey. To browse through all the online artificial intelligence courses, use Noble Desktop’s Online Classes page.

In addition, you can explore free resources to supplement your learning experience. Noble Desktop also offers free resources of varying kinds and on numerous topics. This includes resources about and related to artificial intelligence. The resources may contain tutorials, guides, blog posts, and videos. For instance, Noble Desktop’s YouTube playlist on Excel is an ideal way to learn more about the software before using artificial intelligence to optimize your spreadsheet workflows. You can also explore Noble Desktop’s hub of articles, tutorials, and resources related to artificial intelligence. Likewise, if you use artificial intelligence to boost your marketing strategies, seminars such as Intro to a Career in Digital Marketing will give you more insight into the field. If this method does not seem adequate to help you achieve your goals, you can still search for live artificial intelligence classes, consider using the Noble Desktop Classes Near Me tool to explore in-person and online learning opportunities that will suit your needs and support your goals.

Read the full guide on how to learn Artificial Intelligence

Free Introductory Artificial Intelligence Course Online 

If you feel like you aren’t ready to dive into a full course, that’s okay. You can search for free seminars that will provide an overview of artificial intelligence and related subjects, such as the Python Fundamentals free seminar. In this free introductory seminar, you will start with the basics. You’ll learn how to install Python, write code in Python, and get started on different projects. Additionally, you will learn fundamental Python syntax, data types, and object-oriented programming principles. The seminar will also discuss Terminal, Jupyter, and Anaconda, as well as how to use Python’s varying built-in functions.

Other providers offer free courses and seminars, such as Udemy. They offer an Introduction to Artificial Intelligence in Software Testing where you’ll learn the basics of artificial intelligence and discover the relationship of artificial intelligence with machine learning and deep learning. The 30-minute seminar will also cover ways to use automation tools as well as how to develop, test, and monitor automated tasks. This course provides online video content and requires students to have some previous knowledge of software testing and automation.

Read about more free Artificial Intelligence videos and online tutorials.

Level of Difficulty, Prerequisites, & Cost 

Level of Difficulty

Learning artificial intelligence ranges in difficulty depending on your previous experience, personal preferences, and aptitude for technical concepts. Learning the basics of artificial intelligence may be relatively easy with the right training and dedication. This could include learning basic programming and algorithms. However, learning artificial intelligence also requires having strong skills in mathematics, programming languages, and database frameworks and libraries. Far more advanced topics, like machine learning and deep learning, will require a lot more effort to master.

Prerequisites

If you want to learn artificial intelligence, you will benefit greatly from having a few additional skills or prerequisites. First, understanding mathematical concepts like calculus, algebra, and statistics is essential. You will also want to learn programming languages such as Python, R, JavaScript, and others. It’s also essential to learn basic data concepts to perform basic artificial intelligence tasks and experiments. 

Cost of Artificial Intelligence and its Installation

Additionally, the cost of learning artificial intelligence will vary depending on the depth of study and the training center. There are incredibly lengthy and costly programs that focus on artificial intelligence studies, but there are also short courses that are fairly low-cost. Online resources and on-demand classes are either free or incredibly affordable, but won’t offer the most thorough learning experience. However, if you choose to enroll in a course, bootcamp, or certificate course, you will have to spend a considerable amount of money. While this may be daunting at first, there are typically payment plans you can choose from and the cost is incredibly worthwhile. Luckily, it does not cost anything to install. In fact, you typically don’t have to install anything to use artificial intelligence.

Read about how difficult it is to learn Artificial Intelligence.

How Does Learning Artificial Intelligence Compare to Other Fields?

Artificial intelligence is both a field and a tool that is ever-growing and becoming increasingly necessary. There are similar or complementary fields to artificial intelligence, such as machine learning. Artificial intelligence refers to machines operating autonomously in place of human interaction. Artificial intelligence can do a variety of tasks, such as gaining insights from data sets, completing calculations, and understanding natural language. Machine learning is nestled within the field of artificial intelligence and deals with the development of models. These models enable computers to continually improve and learn from past trends. Whereas artificial intelligence includes systems that mimic human behavior and machine learning approaches, machine learning focuses specifically on algorithms.

However, artificial intelligence could be considered a subset of the data science field as well. Essentially, artificial intelligence, as a field, encompasses the creation and maintenance of systems that act without human interaction. Data science has a primary focus on data collection, manipulation, and analysis, which can be used alongside artificial intelligence. These fields all compare to one another and are often seen overlapping across different job positions, industries, and projects. 

All of these fields require strong skills in math, such as probability and statistics, as well as programming languages like Python and their corresponding libraries, such as NumPy, Pandas, and scikit-learn. In addition, all fields require some knowledge of machine learning algorithms. Professionals in these fields also use similar tools, such as data visualization platforms like Tableau and Matplotlib. Most of these tools are either open-source or have free versions, but other tools may require a subscription. In terms of difficulty, these fields all require similar knowledge, so the difficulty level would easily differ from person to person. 

How to Decide the Best Way to Learn Artificial Intelligence

Deciding to learn artificial intelligence is a remarkably beneficial endeavor. Luckily, there are ample learning methods to choose from. However, your skill level or purpose for learning may determine what path you choose. If you are a beginner, you will want to enlist in the most thorough and understandable method, which is likely a live class. On the other hand, if you don’t want to spend much on a course, you may feel as though you have limited options. There are still on-demand classes and free resources that can help with the learning process. If you want a high-level overview of the field before you decide, you can search for free introductory seminars and classes.

Each training method can differ based on the outcome as well. For instance, whether you want to develop a strong working knowledge of artificial intelligence, plug a skill gap, or advance within your current career path, the best option is usually a bootcamp. This method is considered one of the most immersive and hands-on ways to learn a new skill or update your industry knowledge. Bootcamps typically foster a collaborative environment and include more interaction between the students and the instructor, which assists with learning retention. Bootcamps are also relatively flexible and come in different formats, so you can still gain new skills while fitting them into a busy schedule.

However, if you want to master artificial intelligence for a new career or pivot into a new industry, you will likely want to enroll in a certificate program. These are similar to bootcamps in that they are considered one of the most effective ways to gain a comprehensive education in artificial intelligence. This is based on the curriculum that comes padded with class discussions, activities, case studies, and hands-on projects. The live instruction and focus on professional development often make certificate courses an effective method for entering the field of artificial intelligence. More often than not, certificate courses also come with additional benefits and resources. At Noble Desktop, most certificate programs come with bonus training, payment plans, workbooks and class recordings, and a free retake. However, what sets certificate courses apart from others is that upon completion of the course, students earn their certificate to share with future employers on a resume or LinkedIn page.

For live classes, you may have some questions about the cost, schedule, format, prerequisites, and other personal factors. Many classes will state their requirements and establish what skill level you should be at before enrollment. Previous or relevant experience is always beneficial, but not always needed as most training providers offer courses of varying skill levels and with different advancement opportunities. In terms of cost, the more immersive courses that offer additional resources will always be more expensive. However, they often have payment plans and financing options. In terms of personal preference, lengthier classes like bootcamps and certificates are usually offered in-person or live online as well as part-time or full-time. In truth, only you can determine what the best learning method is for your needs, but these are all things to consider before choosing a learning method.

Learn Artificial Intelligence with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

You can learn artificial intelligence through the hands-on training options at Noble Desktop. For the most immersive and professionally driven education, you can enroll in their Generative AI Certificate. Over 78 hours, you will learn how to utilize artificial intelligence in various fields, ranging from marketing, data analysis, graphic design, finance, and business in general. In this certificate class specifically, students will learn how to increase their workplace productivity with artificial intelligence, as well as create graphic designs, videos, motion graphics, and other marketing content. Portions of the course will also explore Excel and data analytics. Overall, students will leave feeling more confident using ChatGPT for generative artificial intelligence purposes. This certificate course does not require any coding experience and comes with numerous benefits. For instance, students will benefit from small class sizes and a free retake of the course for up to a year after their enrollment. In addition, you will earn a certificate of completion once the course ends.

In addition, the Python Machine Learning Bootcamp from Noble Desktop is 30 hours of practicing fundamental machine learning concepts. Students in this course should already feel comfortable with Python and its data science libraries, specifically Pandas and NumPy. The course will begin with the fundamentals of linear and logistic regression analysis and work its way up through more advanced practices. Students will also progress to algorithms and learn the different theories behind them, such as the difference between random forest and decision trees. The course focuses on the practical application of skills that prepare them to enter the world of machine learning, automation, and data science. Students can access bonus training, a free retake of the course, and a verified certificate of completion.

For a shorter course that gives you foundational knowledge, you can explore the six-hour Generative AI with ChatGPT course. The instructor will introduce the students to ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence model that can be used for varying reasons. Specifically, the students will learn what ChatGPT is, write prompts that produce the best response, and explore the various applications of ChatGPT. The additional benefits of this short course include the small class size, the project-based training, and a free retake. In addition, students will earn their certificate of completion to serve as proof they’ve learned new skills. If any of these classes align with your learning needs and goals, consider exploring the various artificial intelligence classes and bootcamps that Noble Desktop has to offer.

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