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AI Essentials

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

197 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule
1 week at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
96%
Most learners liked this course

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

197 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule
1 week at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
96%
Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

  • Understand the core concepts behind machine learning, neural networks, and deep learning.

  • Identify practical applications and limitations of AI across industries.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

4 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer
Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the AI Foundations for Business Professionals 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 5 modules in this course

Artificial Intelligence is no longer just a futuristic concept, it is a present-day force reshaping industries, workflows, and decision-making across the global economy. This course introduces the core ideas, methods, and applications of AI, with a focus on how business professionals can engage with this fast-moving field responsibly and strategically.

You’ll explore the foundations of machine learning, deep learning, and neural networks, and examine how different types of AI systems – from narrow, task-specific models to generative tools – are built and deployed. By connecting technical concepts to real-world use cases, you’ll gain insight into how AI creates value, what risks it introduces, and why ethical and governance frameworks are essential for its safe use. Through accessible explanations, practical examples, and expert insights from the University of Oxford, this course provides the conceptual grounding to understand AI today and prepare for what’s next. Whether you’re a manager, analyst, policymaker, or team leader, you’ll leave equipped to ask better questions, evaluate AI opportunities, and collaborate more effectively with technical teams. This is the first course in the AI Foundations for Business Professionals specialisation. It provides the essential knowledge base you’ll need before progressing to more applied topics in Generative and Agentic AI, and AI Governance.

AI is transforming how decisions are made, insights are generated, and value is created across every industry. In this course, you’ll learn how AI systems work, what makes them different from traditional tools, and where their real power lies. You’ll also explore the ethical risks they pose, and what it takes to lead AI initiatives with clarity and care.

What's included

3 readings

3 readingsTotal 21 minutes
  • Your Learning Journey15 minutes
  • Digital Notebook (blank)5 minutes
  • Important note about course communication1 minute

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping industries, redefining how organisations make decisions, create value, and interact with customers. In this module, you'll explore what AI really is, how it works, and why understanding its potential, and its limitations, is essential for responsible leadership.

What's included

3 videos5 readings1 assignment5 plugins

3 videosTotal 8 minutes
  • Introduction to the Opportunities of AI 1 minute
  • Introduction to the Risks of AI3 minutes
  • Using AI to Generate Value3 minutes
5 readingsTotal 115 minutes
  • Defining AI10 minutes
  • AI, Machine Learning, and Generative AI15 minutes
  • Reflect with Generative AI25 minutes
  • AI Thinks Differently Than People Do50 minutes
  • Reflect15 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes
  • Test Your Knowledge30 minutes
5 pluginsTotal 62 minutes
  • Your Attitude Towards AI2 minutes
  • Principles of AI Trustworthiness 15 minutes
  • Four Dimensions of AI15 minutes
  • Cases of Value Creation15 minutes
  • Continuum of Capability15 minutes

Artificial intelligence may feel like a modern breakthrough, but its roots stretch back over 80 years. In this module, you’ll trace the intellectual and technical evolution of AI, understanding how each generation of research has influenced today’s capabilities. You’ll also explore why expectations often outpace reality, and how tools like the Gartner Hype Cycle help us think more critically about AI’s path from experimental concept to business-ready solution. With this historical context, you’ll be better equipped to evaluate where AI is going, and what questions we should be asking next.

What's included

1 video4 readings2 assignments5 plugins

1 videoTotal 3 minutes
  • Sentience, Consciousness, and AGI 3 minutes
4 readingsTotal 65 minutes
  • Could we? Would we? Should we? 15 minutes
  • Compare Your Responses20 minutes
  • Reflecting on Generative AI15 minutes
  • Review and Reflect15 minutes
2 assignmentsTotal 45 minutes
  • Test Your Knowledge30 minutes
  • Knowledge Check15 minutes
5 pluginsTotal 100 minutes
  • The Conceptual Roots of AI15 minutes
  • The Hype Cycle35 minutes
  • Could we? Would we? Should we? 25 minutes
  • Narrow AI, General Purpose AI, and AGI20 minutes
  • Is AI conscious? 5 minutes

AI is no longer theoretical; it’s powering tools that detect fraud, recommend products, diagnose diseases, and generate content. In this module, you’ll explore the core types of machine learning, the role of neural networks, and the real-world capabilities and limitations of the AI systems used in business today.

What's included

2 videos4 readings1 assignment2 plugins

2 videosTotal 6 minutes
  • How Machines Learn3 minutes
  • How Neural Networks Learn3 minutes
4 readingsTotal 90 minutes
  • Introduction10 minutes
  • Further Resources30 minutes
  • Experiment30 minutes
  • Deep Neural Networks20 minutes
1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes
  • Test Your Knowledge30 minutes
2 pluginsTotal 35 minutes
  • Types of Machine Learning15 minutes
  • Deep Neural Networks 20 minutes

This final module consolidates your learning from across the course and invites you to reflect on how AI can be used responsibly and effectively in your own context. You’ll revisit the key themes of prediction, value creation, ethics, and oversight, then apply your knowledge through a peer reviewed assignment that challenges you to create an AI implementation strategy for an insurance company.

What's included

4 readings1 peer review

4 readingsTotal 60 minutes
  • Key Takeaways and Reflections20 minutes
  • Bibliography and Further Reading 10 minutes
  • Written Assignment Information20 minutes
  • Next Steps10 minutes
1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes
  • Turning AI Insight into Strategic Action120 minutes

Earn a career certificate

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Instructor

Instructor ratings
4.7 (66 ratings)
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
3 Courses36,370 learners

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  • 5 stars

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  • 4 stars

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  • 3 stars

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  • 2 stars

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  • 1 star

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Showing 3 of 197

RD
·

Reviewed on Dec 17, 2025

Excellent starter course. I thought it struck a nice balance between basic AI technology and business application.

GB
·

Reviewed on Apr 4, 2026

Current (4/2026), practical, and just the right information for leaders who need to understand the landscape for safe and effective use of AI. Great course.

HC
·

Reviewed on Oct 28, 2025

I learned a lot behind "What is AI" and how should we use it and problems can there be if we blindly trust in AI

Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Financial aid available,

¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.