After my recent #webinar on Competing with Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, which drew an incredible crowd of over 4,000 participants (thanks to the Project Management Institute for organizing!), I’ve been flooded with questions. In this article, I’d like to answer a question that one of the participants posed:
Where Are The Best Sources To Learn More About AI?
It’s a fantastic question that aligns with my personal learning axioms, and I’m motivated to share some insights with you.
First off, let’s get one thing straight – the AI landscape is evolving each passing day. What’s cutting-edge today might be old news tomorrow. The key is to find resources that are not only comprehensive but also regularly updated.
Online Courses and MOOCs
Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udacity are goldmines for AI learning. I’m particularly fond of Andrew Ng’s courses – they’re like the holy grail of AI education.
Don’t just stick to the tech-focused courses. Look for ones that blend AI with business strategy. Trust me, it’ll give you a killer edge.
Industry Reports and Whitepapers
Gartner, McKinsey, and Deloitte regularly publish in-depth reports on AI trends and applications. These are especially useful if you’re looking to understand the business impact of AI. I remember when I was working with a major telecom company, and we used insights from such reports to help shape an entire Data & AI strategy.
AI-Focused Podcasts
For those of you who prefer to learn on the go, podcasts are a fantastic resource. \”AI in Business\” and \”The AI Podcast\” by NVIDIA are two of my favorites. They often feature industry leaders and provide real-world examples of AI applications.
Academic Journals and Publications
If you’re not afraid to dive deep into the technical stuff, journals like \”Nature Machine Intelligence\” and \”Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research\” are excellent sources. They can be pretty heavy, but you’ll find the cutting-edge research there.
AI Conferences and Webinars
Nothing beats learning from the experts in person (or virtually). Conferences are also fantastic for networking and getting exposed to the latest trends in AI. Personally, I speak at these conferences and with each speaking opportunity, I learn more from the audience interaction.
Many of these conferences upload their talks online for free afterward
Tech Giants’ AI Resources
Companies like Google, Microsoft, and IBM have extensive AI resources available for free. Google’s AI blog, for instance, is a treasure trove of information.
GitHub Repositories
For the hands-on learners out there, GitHub is your best friend. You can find countless AI projects to tinker with. It’s like a playground for AI enthusiasts.
LinkedIn Learning and Specialized Platforms
LinkedIn and Modal Learning also offers some solid AI courses. Also, check out platforms like DataCamp and Kaggle for more data science and AI-focused learning.
AI Ethics Resources
As AI becomes more prevalent, understanding its ethical implications is crucial. The AI Ethics Lab and the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems offer great resources on this front.
Industry-Specific AI Applications
Look for resources tailored to your industry. In finance, for example, the CFA Institute has been incorporating AI into its curriculum.
In my view, the best way to learn about AI is to dive in and start experimenting. Theory is great, but nothing beats hands-on experience. I always encourage my starting small – maybe with a chatbot or a simple LangChain model. It’s amazing how much you can learn just by getting your hands dirty. Of course, you’ll need programming skills to benefit from these tools and technologies; if you’re not proficient in programming, learning Python would be a good starting point.
One last recommendation:
Stay curious and keep asking questions.
The AI field is vast and constantly evolving. What worked yesterday might not work tomorrow. But that’s what makes it so exciting!
So, there you have it – my top picks for learning more about AI.
Whether you’re a complete newbie or looking to level up your AI game, these resources will set you on the right path.
