Artificial Intelligence

Designed as an introduction to the evolving area of AI, this course emphasizes potential business applications and related managerial insights. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the science behind systems that can program themselves to classify, predict, and offer solutions based on structured and unstructured data.

For millennia, humans have pondered the idea of building intelligent machines. Ever since, AI has had highs and lows, demonstrated successes and unfulfilled potential. Today, AI is empowering people and changing our world. Netflix recommends movies, Amazon recommends popular products, and several EV manufacturers are working to perfect self-driving cars that can navigate safely around other vehicles without human assistance. More recently, Generative AI (e.g., OpenAI’s GPT-4, and variants of this concept such as Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude or Microsoft’s Copilot) has revolutionized and energized imaginations and expectations with multi-modal capabilities. Businesses are scrambling to suitably adjust AI strategies across multiple domains and industries.

This course focuses on how AI systems understand, reason, learn and interact; learn from industry’s experience on several AI use cases. It seeks to help students develop a deeper understanding of machine learning (ML) techniques and the algorithms that power those systems and propose solutions to real-world scenarios leveraging AI methodologies. Students will also learn the estimated size and scope of the AI market, its growth rate, expected contribution to productivity metrics in business operations.

What's inside

Syllabus

Module 1: AI Overview/Landscape

Welcome to AI in Business! Designed as an introduction to the evolving area of AI, this course emphasizes potential business applications and related managerial insights. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the science behind systems that can program themselves to classify, predict, and offer solutions based on structured and unstructured data. For millennia, humans have pondered the idea of building intelligent machines. Ever since, AI has had highs and lows, demonstrated successes and unfulfilled potential. Today, AI is empowering people and changing our world. Netflix recommends movies, Amazon recommends popular products, and several EV manufacturers are working to perfect self-driving cars that can navigate safely around other vehicles without human assistance. More recently, Generative AI (e.g., OpenAI’s GPT-4, and variants of this concept such as Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude or Microsoft’s Copilot) has revolutionized and energized imaginations and expectations with multi-modal capabilities. Businesses are scrambling to suitably adjust AI strategies across multiple domains and industries. This course focuses on how AI systems understand, reason, learn and interact; learn from industry’s experience on several AI use cases. It seeks to help students develop a deeper understanding of machine learning (ML) techniques and the algorithms that power those systems, and propose solutions to real world scenarios leveraging AI methodologies. Students will also learn the estimated size and scope of the AI market, its growth rate, expected contribution to productivity metrics in business operations. In Module 1, in addition to introducing AI, this module familiarizes students with (a) key aspects of AI’s evolutionary history and the related advances in semiconductor computer chips, (b) current global AI market size, expected compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) and market forecasts until 2030 and beyond, and (c) corresponding trends that contributed to AI’s impressive growth potential.

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops an understanding of supervised/unsupervised/reinforcement/deep learning models & evaluate AI use cases for business

Taught by instructors (Siva Balasubramanian) who have experience in AI and business applications

Covers the business applications of AI, focusing on real-world AI use cases, from several industries

Examines Generative AI, which is a rapidly growing field within AI with many applications in various domains

Provides an overview of AI ethics and responsible AI, which are crucial topics in the field of AI

Reviews summary

Ai for business leaders: strategic insights

According to learners, this "Artificial Intelligence" course from Illinois Tech offers a comprehensive overview of AI's business applications and managerial insights. Students highlight its ability to explain complex AI and machine learning concepts in an accessible way, making it ideal for those focused on strategic implementation rather than deep technical details. The course is praised for its up-to-date content, including discussions on Generative AI and crucial aspects of AI ethics and responsible AI. While highly valuable for managers and professionals seeking a strategic perspective, some learners note it is less suited for those desiring extensive hands-on coding or highly technical dives. The curriculum effectively bridges the gap between AI technology and its real-world impact on industries and job functions.

Ideal for strategists, less for deep technical practitioners.

"As a business leader, I found this course perfect for understanding AI without getting bogged down in complex algorithms or coding."

"If you're looking for hands-on coding or deep dives into neural network architectures, this course might not be for you, but it's great for strategy."

"I now feel confident discussing AI with my technical teams, even without being a data scientist myself. It's a high-level strategic overview."

Concepts are explained clearly for non-technical audiences.

"The instructor did an excellent job breaking down complex AI concepts into easily digestible information."

"I found the explanations really clear, even for someone new to the field, making it easy to follow along."

"The course material was very well-structured and presented in a way that made AI accessible to a broad audience."

Covers a wide range of AI topics, including Generative AI and ethics.

"The modules on Generative AI and Responsible AI were incredibly timely and highly relevant to current industry discussions."

"I gained a holistic view of AI, from its history to its societal impact, which is rare in a single course."

"The inclusion of AI ethics and human-machine collaboration made the course feel very well-rounded and forward-thinking."

Strong emphasis on AI's strategic business impact.

"This course is precisely what I needed to understand AI from a business perspective and how it can drive value in an organization."

"I appreciated the consistent focus on managerial insights and practical applications across various industries."

"It really helped me connect the dots between AI technology and real-world business challenges and opportunities."

Comprehensive, but some modules might feel dense for complete novices.

"While comprehensive, the pace in some modules felt quite fast, especially for someone with absolutely no prior AI exposure."

"I had to spend extra time reviewing some of the definitional concepts in the earlier modules to keep up."

"It's a lot of information to absorb in a short time, so be prepared to dedicate consistent effort if you're a beginner."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Artificial Intelligence with these activities:

Review 'Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach'

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Build a strong foundation in AI by reviewing this highly-regarded textbook.

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Read Chapters 1-3 to gain an overview of AI and its applications.
Work through the exercises in Chapters 1-3 to test your understanding.

Participate in peer study groups

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Enhance your learning through collaboration and discussion.

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Form or join a study group with other classmates.
Meet regularly to discuss course material, share insights, and work through problems together.

Solve AI-related coding problems on LeetCode

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Sharpen your AI programming skills through hands-on problem-solving.

Browse courses on AI Algorithms

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Select AI-related problems on LeetCode that align with your learning objectives.
Implement the solutions using your preferred programming language.
Analyze your results and identify areas for improvement.

Four other activities

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Build a simple AI chatbot

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Develop practical skills in AI by creating a functional chatbot.

Browse courses on Chatbot Development

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Choose a chatbot platform and familiarize yourself with its features.
Design the chatbot's conversation flow and intents.
Train the chatbot on a dataset of relevant conversations.
Test and deploy the chatbot.

Follow tutorials on Generative AI and its applications

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Stay up-to-date with cutting-edge AI developments.

Browse courses on Generative AI

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Identify reputable sources for Generative AI tutorials and resources.
Select tutorials that cover specific applications or techniques that interest you.
Follow the tutorials step-by-step and experiment with the provided code.

Create an infographic on AI ethics

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Enhance your understanding of AI ethics and communicate it effectively.

Browse courses on AI Ethics

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Research and gather information on key AI ethics principles.
Design the infographic using a visually appealing and informative layout.
Share the infographic with classmates or on social media to generate discussion and feedback.

Mentor junior students in AI concepts

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Solidify your understanding of AI by teaching and supporting others.

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Identify opportunities to mentor junior students through university programs or online platforms.
Provide guidance on AI concepts, resources, and career paths.
Encourage students to ask questions and engage in discussions.

Career center

Learners who complete Artificial Intelligence will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers: