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This course now features Coursera Coach!

A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course.

Unlock the power of Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and take your machine learning projects to the next level with this practical and hands-on course. You’ll explore how to integrate and apply Large Language Models (LLMs) and the Text-Embeddings API to real-world data, enabling smarter search, classification, and summarization applications. By the end of this course, you’ll have built working knowledge of embeddings, vector similarity, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems.

The course begins with environment setup and a primer on API costs, then walks you through deploying and testing text embeddings with Vertex AI. You’ll perform hands-on tasks like generating sentence embeddings and integrating them into your projects using cosine similarity and visualization tools. A deep dive into the Vertex AI Text Embedding API reveals its potential through multimodal embedding concepts, semantic search, and practical use cases.

In later modules, you'll transition from theory to powerful applications—building text generators with the Bison model, extracting structured information from unstructured text, and controlling output via temperature and sampling settings. You'll also develop end-to-end solutions like clustering StackOverflow data and implementing ANN search strategies using HNSW versus cosine similarity.

This course is designed for data scientists, machine learning engineers, software developers, and cloud practitioners who are interested in building intelligent applications using GenAI. Ideal learners should have a foundational understanding of Python programming, basic knowledge of machine learning, and experience with REST APIs. Familiarity with Google Cloud Platform services and tools is recommended to fully benefit from this intermediate-level course.

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Syllabus

Introduction
In this module, we will introduce you to the course, outlining its structure and prerequisites. You will gain a clear understanding of what the course will cover and how the content is organized.
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Career center

Learners who complete Harnessing LLMs & Text-Embeddings API with Google Vertex AI will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Generative Artificial Intelligence Developer
A Generative Artificial Intelligence Developer specializes in designing, building, and deploying AI systems that create new content, deeply leveraging models like Large Language Models and text embeddings. This course directly prepares you for this exciting field by providing hands-on experience with Google Cloud's Vertex AI, enabling you to integrate and apply LLMs and the Text-Embeddings API to real-world data. You will build working knowledge of embeddings, vector similarity, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems, which are core components of modern GenAI applications. Learning to build text generators with models like Bison, extract structured information, and control output via temperature and sampling settings equips you with practical skills. The emphasis on hands-on applications, including clustering real-world data and implementing ANN search strategies, makes this course particularly valuable for those aiming to develop intelligent GenAI solutions effectively.
Machine Learning Engineer
A Machine Learning Engineer focuses on designing, building, and deploying scalable machine learning models and pipelines, translating AI research into production systems. This course offers a significant advantage for aspiring Machine Learning Engineers by immersing you in the practical application of Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings using Google Vertex AI. You will gain proficiency in setting up development environments, deploying and testing text embeddings, and integrating them into projects using cosine similarity and visualization tools. Building end-to-end solutions, such as RAG systems and approximate nearest neighbor search for scaling embeddings, directly reflects the engineering challenges faced in this role. The practical exercises in text generation, classification, and information extraction with the Bison model further solidify your capabilities in constructing robust, intelligent applications.
Technical Specialist Google Cloud Artificial Intelligence
A Technical Specialist Google Cloud Artificial Intelligence provides expert guidance and support for Google Cloud's AI and machine learning services, helping clients implement advanced solutions. This course is perfectly aligned for a Technical Specialist Google Cloud Artificial Intelligence, offering an in-depth, hands-on exploration of harnessing LLMs and Text-Embeddings API with Google Vertex AI. You'll master environment setup, deployment, and testing with Vertex AI, understanding API costs and practical applications like semantic search, classification, and summarization. The deep dive into multimodal embedding concepts and building RAG systems, coupled with scaling embeddings through approximate nearest neighbor search, will equip you with the comprehensive knowledge to advise and troubleshoot complex GenAI implementations effectively on Google Cloud.
Natural Language Processing Engineer
A Natural Language Processing Engineer develops systems that enable computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language. This course is exceptionally well-suited for a Natural Language Processing Engineer, as it deeply explores Large Language Models and the Text-Embeddings API, which are foundational technologies in modern NLP. You will learn to apply these tools with Google Vertex AI for practical applications such as smarter search, classification, and summarization. The deep dive into embeddings, vector similarity, semantic search, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems provides critical knowledge for tackling complex language tasks. Hands-on experience with text generation using the Bison model and extracting structured information from unstructured text directly prepares you for building advanced NLP solutions.
Artificial Intelligence Engineer
An Artificial Intelligence Engineer designs and implements intelligent systems across various domains, often focusing on advanced AI capabilities like generative models. This course provides comprehensive training for an Artificial Intelligence Engineer by focusing on harnessing Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API with Google Vertex AI. You'll gain a strong foundation in building intelligent applications using Generative AI, specifically exploring how to integrate and apply LLMs for tasks such as smarter search, classification, and summarization. The practical modules on deploying and testing text embeddings, working with the Bison model for text generation, and implementing RAG systems will equip you with the skills to develop cutting-edge AI solutions and bring them to fruition within a cloud environment.
Machine Learning Architect
A Machine Learning Architect designs the high-level structure and components of scalable and robust machine learning systems, ensuring they meet performance and reliability requirements. This course helps a Machine Learning Architect build a foundation in designing architectures that integrate Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API at scale with Google Vertex AI. You will gain working knowledge of embeddings, vector similarity, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems, crucial for designing modern GenAI solutions. The modules on deploying and testing text embeddings, implementing ANN search strategies, and scaling embeddings provide practical insights into architecting performant systems. Understanding how to build text generators and manage output ensures a comprehensive approach to designing end-to-end intelligent applications within a cloud environment.
Applied Scientist - Machine Learning
An Applied Scientist Machine Learning bridges theoretical research with practical application, solving real-world problems using advanced machine learning techniques, often requiring an advanced degree. This course helps build a foundation in applying Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API using Google Vertex AI for solving complex challenges. You will gain working knowledge of embeddings, vector similarity, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems, which are essential for developing sophisticated solutions. The course's emphasis on real-world use cases, such as clustering StackOverflow data and implementing ANN search strategies, directly aligns with the problem-solving nature of an Applied Scientist Machine Learning. This practical exposure to deploying and testing with Vertex AI provides valuable experience for transitioning cutting-edge AI into functional systems.
Solutions Architect Artificial Intelligence
A Solutions Architect Artificial Intelligence is responsible for designing and overseeing the implementation of end-to-end AI solutions that meet business requirements. This course is highly relevant for a Solutions Architect Artificial Intelligence, as it provides a deep understanding of core Generative AI technologies, specifically Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API on Google Vertex AI. You will learn how to integrate and apply these models for smarter search, classification, and summarization applications, crucial for conceptualizing robust AI solutions. The course’s coverage of embeddings, vector similarity, RAG systems, and practical aspects like API costs and scaling embeddings through approximate nearest neighbor search will enable you to design effective, scalable, and cost-efficient intelligent solutions on a leading cloud platform.
Cloud Engineer
A Cloud Engineer designs, implements, and manages cloud infrastructure and services, ensuring scalability, security, and efficiency. This course may be useful for a Cloud Engineer specializing in artificial intelligence deployments, as it focuses on leveraging Google Cloud’s Vertex AI for Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API. While not solely about infrastructure, you will gain hands-on experience with environment setup and Google Cloud Platform configuration, including understanding API costs, which are critical aspects of cloud resource management. The practical application of deploying and testing text embeddings and scaling them through approximate nearest neighbor search provides insights into the operational considerations for hosting and managing intelligent GenAI applications efficiently within a cloud environment.
Software Developer Artificial Intelligence Focus
A Software Developer with an Artificial Intelligence Focus builds and integrates AI capabilities into software applications, making them smarter and more interactive. This course can help a Software Developer Artificial Intelligence Focus by providing practical, hands-on experience with harnessing Large Language Models and the Text-Embeddings API using Google Vertex AI. You will learn to integrate these powerful AI components into real-world data, enabling sophisticated features like smarter search, intelligent classification, and automated summarization within applications. The modules on text generation with the Bison model, extracting structured information, and implementing RAG systems offer direct relevance for developing innovative, AI-enhanced software, allowing you to build end-to-end solutions that leverage cutting-edge Generative AI functionalities.
Data Scientist Machine Learning Focus
A Data Scientist with a Machine Learning Focus analyzes complex datasets to build and deploy advanced analytical and predictive models, often requiring an advanced degree. This course may be useful for a Data Scientist Machine Learning Focus by providing hands-on experience with applying Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API using Google Vertex AI. You'll gain working knowledge of embeddings, vector similarity, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems, empowering you to perform advanced data classification, summarization, and semantic search. The practical exercises, including clustering StackOverflow data and exploring approximate nearest neighbor search, are directly applicable to extracting deeper insights and building intelligent data-centric applications, transitioning theoretical knowledge into deployable GenAI solutions.
Prompt Engineer
A Prompt Engineer specializes in crafting, testing, and refining inputs for Large Language Models to achieve desired outputs and optimize model performance. This course may be useful for a Prompt Engineer because it provides a deep understanding of how Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API function at an operational level within Google Vertex AI. You will gain insight into building text generators with models like Bison and controlling output via temperature and sampling settings, which are critical for effective prompt design. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of embeddings, vector similarity, and RAG systems, coupled with hands-on text generation techniques, will enable a Prompt Engineer to develop more sophisticated and effective prompting strategies, moving beyond simple input-output to more nuanced model interaction.
Product Manager Artificial Intelligence
A Product Manager Artificial Intelligence defines the vision, strategy, and roadmap for AI-powered products, bridging technical capabilities with market needs. This course may be useful for a Product Manager Artificial Intelligence by offering a practical immersion into Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API with Google Vertex AI. Understanding the core functionalities of embeddings, vector similarity, and Retrieval-Augmented Generation systems, as well as hands-on experience with text generation and information extraction, helps in conceptualizing innovative AI features. This deep technical insight into Generative AI enables more informed decision-making regarding product feasibility, development effort, and potential market impact for features like smarter search or content generation, ultimately leading to more successful AI products.
Data Engineer Machine Learning Operations
A Data Engineer Machine Learning Operations focuses on building and maintaining efficient data pipelines for machine learning models and ensuring their seamless integration into production. This course may be useful for a Data Engineer Machine Learning Operations by providing insights into the data requirements and lifecycle for Large Language Models and Text-Embedding API applications on Google Vertex AI. While not solely focused on data pipelines, the course's emphasis on integrating with real-world data, clustering StackOverflow data, and scaling embeddings through approximate nearest neighbor search touches upon crucial MLOps considerations. Understanding the practical application of GenAI models helps in designing robust data strategies and infrastructure needed to support the deployment and continuous operation of intelligent applications.
Site Reliability Engineer Machine Learning
A Site Reliability Engineer Machine Learning ensures the stability, performance, and availability of machine learning systems in production environments. This course may be useful for a Site Reliability Engineer Machine Learning by offering insights into the deployment and operational aspects of Large Language Models and Text-Embeddings API applications on Google Vertex AI. Understanding the practicalities of environment setup, API costs, deploying and testing embeddings, and scaling strategies like approximate nearest neighbor search is critical for monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing GenAI infrastructure. Gaining familiarity with RAG systems and text generation applications helps in anticipating potential issues and designing resilient systems that reliably deliver intelligent functionalities.

Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Harnessing LLMs & Text-Embeddings API with Google Vertex AI.
Provides a vision of the future of semantic search. It is written by Bruce Croft, a leading researcher in the field.
The premier applied machine learning masterwork, taking practitioners through intuitive concept breakdowns, production-grade Scikit-Learn workflows, and deep neural architecture implementations.
A timeless mathematical masterpiece that provides an uncompromising Bayesian and probabilistic foundation for linear classifiers, graphical models, kernel methods, and sampling algorithms.
Is an excellent starting point for anyone new to Python or programming in general. It covers fundamental programming concepts and Python basics with a hands-on, project-based approach, making it very practical for beginners. The third edition is updated to cover newer Python versions and is widely recommended for its clear explanations and engaging projects. It's often used as an introductory textbook.
The definitive mathematical and theoretical canon of statistical learning, establishing the rigorous analytical foundations of regularized regression, tree ensembles, and high-dimensional inference.
A distilled practitioner field guide outlining best practices for the entire machine learning lifecycle, from problem formulation and feature engineering to model deployment and monitoring.
Delivers an end-to-end systems architecture guide for building reliable production ML systems, addressing data engineering trade-offs, real-time feature computation, and model drift mitigation.
LangChain widely used framework for developing applications powered by language models, including RAG systems and AI agents. offers a practical guide to using LangChain and LangGraph, providing hands-on experience with implementing RAG and related concepts.
Ideal for beginners who want to quickly apply Python to practical tasks. focuses on using Python to automate everyday computer tasks, such as working with files, web scraping, and sending emails. It assumes no prior programming experience and is highly regarded for its clear, step-by-step instructions and focus on immediate productivity gains. The second edition widely used and practical resource.
Bridges linear algebra, multivariable calculus, vector geometry, and probability directly to fundamental machine learning algorithms like PCA, Gaussian mixture models, and support vector machines.
Provides the monumental mathematical foundation of modern neural networks, connecting deep representation learning, backpropagation dynamics, and sequence modeling to empirical machine learning.
Focuses on the security testing of APIs, providing insights into how to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. It's a crucial resource for security professionals and developers who want to build more secure APIs by understanding potential attack vectors. It's highly relevant for contemporary API development concerns.
Provides a practical guide to using generative AI, covering the different techniques and tools available. It is written by two leading experts in the field, Josh Patterson and Adam Gibson.
Is highly recommended for intermediate to advanced Python programmers looking to write more idiomatic and efficient code. It explores Python's often-overlooked features and best practices, delving into topics like data structures, the Python data model, and metaprogramming. It's a valuable resource for deepening understanding and is considered a must-read for those aiming for mastery.
Offers a comprehensive overview of LLMs, covering their theoretical foundations, practical applications, and future directions.
Instructs data scientists on applied model evaluation, cross-validation, hyperparameter tuning, and pipeline construction through Scikit-Learn maintainers Andreas Müller and Sarah Guido.
Provides a broad overview of representation learning for NLP. It covers a wide range of topics in this field, including text embeddings. The authors are well-known researchers in this area and have been involved in the development of many of the techniques covered in this book. This book is well-suited for experienced readers seeking a deeper understanding of the theoretical foundations of text embeddings.
Transformers are the fundamental architecture behind most modern Large Language Models used in RAG. provides a comprehensive guide to working with transformers using the Hugging Face ecosystem. It offers essential background knowledge for understanding the generative component of RAG systems.
Given the close relationship between microservices and APIs, this book is highly relevant for understanding how to secure microservices architectures and the APIs that connect them. It covers securing communication between services and deploying microservices behind an API gateway. It's valuable for those working with or planning to adopt a microservices approach.
Investigates the engineering realities of running automated ML pipelines in production, addressing data drift detection, automated retraining loops, telemetry infrastructure, and continuous validation.
Offers a product-oriented approach to API design, emphasizing how to create APIs that provide value and a great developer experience. It covers the entire design lifecycle and discusses various API styles like REST, gRPC, and GraphQL. It's a strong choice for gaining a broad understanding of API design in a business context.
Large Language Models are a core component of RAG. provides a practical, hands-on guide to understanding and working with LLMs, covering transformers, tokenizers, and semantic search. It offers essential background knowledge for anyone building RAG systems and valuable reference for practitioners.
Is specifically designed for beginners interested in Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). It aims to introduce the core concepts and guide readers in building basic RAG systems. It serves as a good starting point for those with minimal prior knowledge of RAG.
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This practical guide offers a blend of API design theory and hands-on exercises. It focuses on building popular APIs and fostering a thriving developer ecosystem. The book includes expert advice and case studies, making it highly relevant for those looking to create successful and widely adopted APIs.
Details cloud-native DevOps architectures for orchestrating automated machine learning lifecycles, integrating CI/CD triggers, model registry synchronization, and automated hyperparameter sweep workers.
This project-based book helps solidify understanding of Large Language Models and their applications, including the use of Vector Databases and LangChain, which are highly relevant to RAG implementation. It provides practical experience through building various LLM projects.
Presents proven patterns for designing APIs that facilitate integration through loosely coupled message exchanges. It's a valuable resource for architects and developers working on complex integration scenarios, offering patterns to simplify the process.
Guides engineers step-by-step through implementing, training, and fine-tuning complete generative transformer architectures in pure PyTorch, providing crystal-clear low-level insight into modern models.
Offers a collection of tips and tricks to help intermediate Python developers write more professional and Pythonic code. It provides concise explanations and practical examples of various Python features, making it a useful resource for leveling up coding skills and discovering best practices.
Explores vector databases and their role in modern data analytics, including applications in AI and generative AI. Understanding vector databases is fundamental to building efficient RAG systems. This book provides a good overview of this essential technology.
Aimed at beginners, this book provides a comprehensive roadmap to understanding Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) technology. It covers core principles, architecture, training processes, and real-world applications. This valuable resource for those new to RAG looking to gain foundational knowledge.
Offers a solid introduction to the principles and practices of designing effective web APIs. It's particularly useful for those new to API design, providing practical guidance and examples. It serves as a valuable reference for understanding the characteristics of well-designed APIs and the entire API design lifecycle.
For those wanting a deep understanding of the generation component in RAG, this book guides you through building an LLM from scratch. It covers the internal workings, limitations, and customization methods. While challenging, it provides a solid foundation in LLM architecture and training.
Presents the foundational treatise on Markov decision processes, temporal-difference learning, and policy gradient methods that underpin autonomous decision-making and modern post-training alignment.
Authored by the creator of Keras, this book provides an accessible introduction to deep learning with Python. The third edition includes updated content on generative AI and large language models, making it highly relevant for understanding the generation aspect of RAG. It helps solidify understanding through practical examples.
This guide provides a collection of best practices, development workflows, and recommendations for writing idiomatic Python code. It's a valuable resource for developers who want to follow community conventions and improve their overall Python development process.
Dives into the practical aspects of designing RESTful APIs, covering design patterns and best practices. It's suitable for beginners and explores topics such as API gateways and security. The examples are easy to follow, making it a good resource for implementing patterns programmatically.
Combines interactive Jupyter notebooks with rigorous mathematical explanations to teach machine learning practitioners how modern neural architectures are designed, implemented, and trained.
Focuses specifically on applying deep learning techniques to natural language processing problems. It delves into advanced concepts and models relevant to the generative component of RAG systems. It is suitable for those looking to deepen their understanding of the neural network architectures used in NLP.
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An excellent resource for beginners learning GraphQL, this book focuses on declarative data fetching and building modern web applications using GraphQL. It provides a clear introduction to the concepts and practical examples.
Provides a broad overview of NLP with Python. This book is well-suited for students or practitioners who have a basic understanding of NLP and Python. It covers a wide range of NLP topics, including text embeddings.
Provides a thought-provoking exploration of the future of generative AI, discussing its potential benefits and risks. It is written by Gary Marcus, a leading researcher in the field.
Covers the machine learning techniques used in semantic search. It is written by two leading researchers in the field.
Provides a guide to linked data, which way of publishing data on the web in a way that makes it easier for computers to understand and process. It is written by two leading researchers in the field.

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