Learning Artificial Intelligence (AI)
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According to Elon Musk, artificial intelligence will be "smarter" than humans by 2025. Whether you find that thought exciting or scary, one thing is for sure — artificial intelligence is here to stay.
Artificial intelligence is now a part of our everyday lives. It drives online shopping algorithms, web searches, and digital personal assistants like Siri and Alexa. Our cars contain AI-powered safety functions, and smart thermostats automatically adjust the temperature in our homes to save energy.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects computer and IT jobs to grow by 15% from 2021-2031. To prepare for this future growth, now may be a good time to learn about artificial intelligence and pursue an AI career.
You can learn artificial intelligence by taking an online course or enrolling in a data science bootcamp. Many bootcamps provide an introduction to machine learning. Machine learning is a tool that AI uses that involves exposing an algorithm to a large amount of data. It allows the AI to learn faster.
AI courses typically cover machine learning, deep learning, and neural networks. You may create simple chatbots or virtual assistants and publish them on a webpage. Technologies used often include Python, IBM's Watson AI services, OpenCV, and APIs. Data science bootcamps usually focus on the machine learning aspect of AI.
What Is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Artificial intelligence refers to machines being taught tasks or sometimes figuring out how to perform certain tasks on their own. AI can use a number of techniques, including machine learning, data processing, and neural networks, to solve problems and make decisions. It can even tell you what movie to watch next.
Our current level of AI can only generally perform a specific skill set that it was trained on. Siri and Alexa, for example, can understand verbal language and repeat Google results back to you. ChatGPT can predict what word is likely to follow the previous, and the AI in some new fridges can let you know when it's time to buy more milk.
How to Learn AI
In addition to online courses and data science bootcamps, you can also learn artificial intelligence through a bachelor's or master's program in artificial intelligence. These programs include a strong background in computer science and provide a much broader education than an online course or a bootcamp.
However, individual courses and bootcamps focus exclusively on the skills you need to learn to qualify for a career in AI. You do not need to take general education courses, such as history and psychology. This guide focuses on online courses and bootcamps for learning AI.
Online Courses
Online courses have been increasing in popularity in recent years, and you can choose from many artificial intelligence courses. These online courses can be free or cost thousands of dollars. The time commitment also varies. Many online courses offer flexible scheduling to fit around your work schedule. Individual courses also tend to be cheaper than bootcamps, offering a less expensive alternative for students.
- Coursera: Coursera offers over 1,500 AI courses, many of which are free. Examples include AI for everyone, IBM applied AI, and machine learning. You can gain a solid foundation in AI for free.
- edX: This massive open online course (MOOC) provider offers more than 20 online courses in artificial intelligence. Most of these courses are free. However, professional certificate programs cost between $200-$550.
- Udemy: Another MOOC provider, Udemy offers over 400 courses related to artificial intelligence. Courses cover topics like AI for business, machine learning with Python, and AI for nontechnicals. Some courses are free, although many cost about $140 or less.
- Google: Google offers more than 20 resources to help you learn AI. These resources include guides, podcasts, videos, courses, and interactive content. Available courses include an introduction to machine learning problem framing and a machine learning crash course with TensorFlow APIs. Many of these resources are free.
- Harvard Business School: Harvard offers an online AI course that features virtual networking, discussion groups, and self-paced work. The course costs $6,250 and covers data science, predictive modeling, and machine learning.
Coding Bootcamps
Coding bootcamps are intensive courses that prepare you for an entry-level career in a certain discipline. Coding bootcamps may focus on areas like software development, cybersecurity, or data science. The bootcamp experience may feature full-time, part-time, or self-paced learning options and happen online or in person.
While bootcamps do not generally focus specifically on artificial intelligence, many data science and data analytics bootcamps offer an introduction to machine learning. In these programs, you'll learn how to apply machine learning algorithms in practical situations.
Pros and Cons
Online AI courses may work better for some students, while bootcamps are better for others. Here's a look at some of the pros and cons of online courses vs. bootcamps to help you decide which option suits your needs.
Online Courses Pros
- Online courses typically provide more self-paced and flexible learning options.
- Online courses are usually relatively inexpensive or free.
Online Courses Cons
- Online courses may have limited opportunities to interact with professors or tutors, or none at all.
- Online courses do not usually offer career services.
Bootcamp Pros
- Bootcamps almost always offer career services and job assistance to students.
- Bootcamps often incorporate teaching programming languages, such as Python or Java, into the curriculum.
Bootcamp Cons
- Bootcamps can be more expensive, with an average price of $13,579 (as of 2020).
- Bootcamps can be very fast and intensive; self-paced bootcamps may be difficult to find.
Best Artificial Intelligence Bootcamps
BrainStation
- Location: Remote, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle
- Programs Starting At: $16,500
- Technical Disciplines: Data Science, UX Design, Web Development
- Learning Format: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
BrainStation offers an online data science course that includes a unit on machine learning. The other three units in the course cover data science foundations: data cleaning, visualization and analysis, and statistics and modeling. The machine learning section covers Python, pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, and SciPy. You'll also learn about data classification models, decision trees, and model evaluation.
BrainStation's data science bootcamp is currently offered online only. You'll take classes one day a week for five or 10 weeks, depending on the length of the sessions.
Visit BootcampSpringboard
- Location: Remote
- Programs Starting At: $13,900
- Technical Disciplines: Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Data Science, Software Engineering, UX/UI Design
- Learning Format: Online
- Time Commitment: Self-Paced
Springboard offers a six-month online data science bootcamp with a job guarantee. If you don't get a job in the field within six months of completing the bootcamp, Springboard will give you a refund. This career-focused bootcamp offers live, one-on-one mentorship to help you succeed. Springboard graduates have been hired by companies like Microsoft, Facebook, and Google.
Students enrolled in Springboard's data science bootcamp develop Python, data wrangling, and software engineering skills. There is also a section covering machine learning that includes supervised and unsupervised algorithms, linear and logistic regression, and decision trees. You'll complete 14 projects during the bootcamp.
Visit BootcampThe Data Incubator
- Location: Remote, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, D.C.
- Programs Starting At: $10,000
- Technical Disciplines: Data Analytics, Data Science
- Learning Format: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Full Time, Part Time
The Data Incubator offers an eight-week bootcamp that covers data science essentials. This eight-week bootcamp gives you a solid foundation in data science principles. You'll attend two-hour classes twice a week. You can also attend office hours throughout the week.
The data science essentials program requires elementary programming knowledge and familiarity with statistics. The course teaches object-oriented programming, NumPy, pandas, data visualization, and the Scikit-learn API. It also includes an introduction to machine learning.
Visit BootcampThe University of Texas at Austin
- Location: Remote, Austin
- Programs Starting At: $12,745
- Technical Disciplines: Data Analytics
- Learning Format: In Person, Online
- Time Commitment: Part Time
The University of Texas at Austin's McCombs School of Business offers an online data analytics bootcamp that takes 24 weeks to complete. This part-time program immerses you in practical projects that give you hands-on experience. The curriculum covers Excel, Python, SQL, statistics, and machine learning.
During the UT Austin bootcamp, you'll build portfolios to help showcase your work. You'll learn front-end web visualization, Tableau, and big data analytics with Hadoop.
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Employment is guaranteed as soon as you finish your bootcamp.
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Methodology
Bootcamp Ranking Guidelines
At BestColleges, we believe the best bootcamp is the one that fits your schedule, your learning needs, and your career aspirations. That's why we often present our recommendations in alphabetical order -- because the real best bootcamp is the bootcamp that's best for you.
Our Methodology
The Bootcamp Team at BestColleges has collected data for over 150 bootcamps to help you find the best bootcamp.
At BestColleges, we believe the best bootcamp is the one that fits your schedule, your learning needs, and your career aspirations. That's why we often present our recommendations in alphabetical order -- because the real best bootcamp is the bootcamp that's best for you.
At this time, our recommendation round-ups feature only immersive bootcamps designed to prepare students for job placement upon graduation.
To be included on our lists, bootcamps must meet the following criteria:
- Must offer at least one bootcamp in the United States.
- Must offer at least one bootcamp that is a minimum of 4 weeks long.
- Must require at least 15 hours of work per week if the bootcamp is part time.
- Must encourage at least 10 hours of work per week if the bootcamp is self-paced.
Pricing disclosure: The prices listed were collected from product websites in 2022. However, given the dynamic, fast-paced nature of the tech space, prices are subject to change throughout the year. To get the most up-to-date information about pricing, contact providers directly.
Methodology for Recommending Cheap Bootcamps:
- The bootcamp must meet all of the general criteria listed above.
- The bootcamp must cost less than $8,000 if it is offered full time, and less than $5,000 if it is offered part time. These numbers were chosen based on data collected by BestColleges in 2020 that determined the average cost of a coding bootcamp is $13,580.
Artificial Intelligence Jobs and Career Outlook
Artificial intelligence is being incorporated into many types of products. As a result, you can find AI jobs in various industries — not just tech. According to Indeed, some of the most in-demand AI jobs are machine learning engineer (344% increase in job postings from 2015-2018), robotics engineer (128% increase), computer vision engineer (116% increase), and data scientist (78% increase). The average base salaries for these positions — according to Payscale as of March 2023 — are listed below.
- Machine Learning Engineer: $113,890
- Robotics Engineer: $89,950
- Computer Vision Engineer: $116,280
- Data Scientist: $98,790
Frequently Asked Questions About Learning AI
Is AI easy to learn?
Learning AI is difficult for many students, especially those who do not have a computer science or programming background. However, it may be well worth the effort required to learn it. The demand for AI professionals will likely increase as more companies start designing products that use AI.
If you do not have any computer programming experience, make sure you look for courses or bootcamps designed for beginners. It might even be a good idea to take a beginning programming course before you start learning about artificial intelligence.
Does AI require coding?
While it is possible to start learning AI without learning how to code, you may not get far without coding skills. It may be beneficial to learn to code in Python before learning artificial intelligence. The Python programming language is frequently used in AI programming.
AI also requires a strong foundation in math, statistics, and data structures. A good AI course covers all of these topics, as well as programming. You'll also need to understand and program algorithms to develop a useful AI.
Where can I learn AI for free?
Most of the Coursera, edX, and Google courses mentioned earlier in this guide are free. You can start with beginner courses, such as Coursera's AI foundations for everyone, and move up to intermediate- and advanced-level courses as your skills improve. There are many free courses out there.
You can even start working toward a professional certificate, such as the IBM AI engineering professional certificate, for free. There is a seven-day free trial for this course. After that, you'll need to pay $49 per month to continue.
What is the best way to learn Artificial Intelligence?
There is no one "best" way to learn AI. Some people learn quickly and easily from online courses, while others need guidance from a teacher. If you are an independent learner, you may do well with the free courses on Coursera and edX. One advantage of trying free courses is that if you do not like one, you can stop and find another one to try.
If you think you will need help from a teacher, a bootcamp might be a better option for you. Some bootcamps, such as the Springboard data science bootcamp, even provide mentors to help you through your classes.
What is the best AI bootcamp?
All of the bootcamps profiled in this guide offer quality programs that cover AI basics, such as machine learning and Python. Some are more intensive than others and require many more hours of instruction. You will probably get more out of a bootcamp that requires you to spend more time on the subject.
You should consider the cost of the bootcamp, as well. There can be large variations in price from one bootcamp to another. The most expensive bootcamp is not necessarily the best.
How long does it take to learn AI?
This can greatly vary depending on your background and education. Generally speaking, AI requires a solid understanding of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. Students with a strong background in these areas can probably learn the basics in a few months. As AI is a rapidly developing field, there is often something new to learn.
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Feature Image: Yuichiro Chino / Moment / Getty Images
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