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URL: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ai-agents-101

⇱ AI Agents 101: Foundations of AI Agents | Coursera

AI Agents 101: Foundations of AI Agents

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AI Agents 101: Foundations of AI Agents

Included with

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level
No prior experience required
4 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level
No prior experience required
4 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the AI Agents: Complete Beginner's Guide Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 3 modules in this course

This course introduces beginner learners to the core ideas behind agentic AI using clear language and concrete examples from modern organizations. You will learn how AI agents differ from chatbots, how they use tools and memory, and why enterprises are investing heavily in agent based automation. We will explore high impact use cases in IT support, customer service, sales, operations, and personal productivity from the US, Europe, and fast growing digital markets. You will practice spotting workflows where AI agents can safely assist, using simple opportunity mapping frameworks tailored for non technical professionals. The course also covers essential security, data, and governance considerations in plain language so you can participate confidently in AI conversations at work. By the end, you will be able to explain agentic AI to colleagues, identify realistic use cases, and prepare for hands on no code building in the next course.

AI features are appearing in many workplace tools, but not all of them function the same way. Some systems simply answer questions, while others coordinate multiple steps to complete tasks across different tools. In this module, you will build a clear mental model of what AI agents actually are and how they differ from chatbots and traditional automation. You will examine core components such as goals, planning, tools, memory, and feedback loops, and learn the terminology used by product, engineering, and data teams. By the end of the module, you will be able to recognize agent-like behavior in everyday software and understand how these systems support real operational workflows.

What's included

19 videos2 readings1 assignment

19 videos•Total 52 minutes
  • From AI Hype to Real Workflows: Making AI Agents Actually Deliver•2 minutes
  • Welcome to Agentic AI Fundamentals•2 minutes
  • Notice the Difference Between Answers and Actions•4 minutes
  • See the Workflow, Not the Interface•3 minutes
  • Understand How Agents Think in Workflows•3 minutes
  • Connect Agent Concepts to Real Decisions•2 minutes
  • Diagnose Whether the System Is Acting•3 minutes
  • Trace the Workflow Behind the AI•3 minutes
  • Judge the System by What It Does•2 minutes
  • Test AI Features in Your Own Tools•3 minutes
  • Seeing AI Everywhere, But Not Seeing the Work•3 minutes
  • Shifting Your Attention from Interface to Workflow•3 minutes
  • Trace Where Agents Actually Work•3 minutes
  • Follow the Capabilities That Create Agents•3 minutes
  • Map the Workflow Before Looking for the Agent•3 minutes
  • Verify When the Workflow Actually Changes•3 minutes
  • Prioritize the Workflows Where Agents Deliver Immediate Impact•4 minutes
  • Identify the Opportunities You Can Act on This Week•3 minutes
  • From Fundamentals to Identifying Use Cases•1 minute
2 readings•Total 10 minutes
  • What you will Learn in this Module?•5 minutes
  • What You Need to Remember•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
  • Agentic AI Fundamentals-Quiz•10 minutes

Many teams are experimenting with AI tools but struggle to decide where to start. In this module, you will learn how to identify practical opportunities for AI agents by examining the work you already do every day. You will map your tasks, analyze how workflows move through people and systems, and evaluate which processes are safe and valuable to automate. You will also learn how to assess risk, data sensitivity, and business impact so you avoid deploying AI in places where mistakes could cause real problems. By the end of this module, you will have a clear shortlist of workflows that are realistic candidates for your first AI agent projects.

What's included

17 videos2 readings1 assignment

17 videos•Total 56 minutes
  • Identify High Value, Low Risk Use Cases•2 minutes
  • See the Workflow You’ve Been Missing•4 minutes
  • Reframing the Problem Before You Solve It•3 minutes
  • Build the Mental Model Behind Automation•3 minutes
  • Trace the Structure Before Choosing the Tool•3 minutes
  • Capture the Work Before You Automate It•3 minutes
  • Validate the Workflow Before Trusting the Map•4 minutes
  • Start Where Work Repeats•3 minutes
  • Turn One Workflow Into Your First Experiment•3 minutes
  • Notice the Risk Hidden in a Working Demo•4 minutes
  • Shift Your Focus from Capability to Consequence•3 minutes
  • Classify the Data Before You Automate the Work•4 minutes
  • Prioritize AI Opportunities Using Risk and Impact•3 minutes
  • Evaluate the Workflow Before Approving the AI•4 minutes
  • Verify the Risks Before Moving Forward•3 minutes
  • Start Where the Risk Is Lowest and the Learning Is Highest•4 minutes
  • Choose One Workflow and Run a Safe Experiment•3 minutes
2 readings•Total 10 minutes
  • What you will Learn in this Module?•5 minutes
  • What You Need to Remember•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
  • Identifying High Value, Low Risk Use Cases-Quiz•10 minutes

You are often the bridge between business questions and technical delivery, and this module helps you make that bridge precise. You will learn to write short, operational AI agent briefs that name the business problem, identify target users and observable triggers, and define measurable success criteria. You will practice translating user stories into implementable agent behaviors—sequenced actions, required integrations, and simple escalation rules—and learn how to turn nontechnical concerns about reliability and explainability into monitoring plans using application programming interfaces, integrations, and activity logs. After completing this module, you will be able to produce a stakeholder-ready agent brief and recommend guardrails that enable safe, evaluable pilots.

What's included

18 videos2 readings1 assignment

18 videos•Total 46 minutes
  • Communicating and collaborating on AI Agent Projects•2 minutes
  • Speak Two Languages at Once•2 minutes
  • Name the Agent's Job•3 minutes
  • Define the Agent’s Operational Role•3 minutes
  • Translate Concepts into Actionable Briefs•2 minutes
  • Define and Trigger the Agent•2 minutes
  • Refine Actions, Escalations, and Metrics•3 minutes
  • Prioritize High Impact Agent Work•3 minutes
  • Turn Conceptual Clarity into Practical Momentum•3 minutes
  • Notice the Governance Gap•3 minutes
  • Name Reliability and Oversight•3 minutes
  • Define Reliability Boundaries.•3 minutes
  • Apply Guardrails as Design Tools.•3 minutes
  • Define Guardrails Step by Step•3 minutes
  • Refine Escalations, Monitoring, and Metrics•3 minutes
  • Prioritize High-Impact Pilot Work•3 minutes
  • Focus Execution Where It Matters•3 minutes
  • End of Course•1 minute
2 readings•Total 10 minutes
  • What you will Learn in this Module?•5 minutes
  • What You Need to Remember•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 20 minutes
  • Communicating and Collaborating on AI Agent Projects-Quiz•20 minutes

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Instructor

LearnQuest
207 Courses•1,002,499 learners

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