Course Registration

Banner

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

Description

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

A practical, plain-language foundation in AI for learners from any discipline. No coding, no mathematics, and no prior AI knowledge required.

16 weeks

Two modules of eight weeks each

50 contact hours

About 3 hours of learning a week

100% online

Self-paced, on phone, tablet or computer

3 credits

Plus a digital badge for each module

About this course

AI is already shaping how we study, work, receive healthcare and make decisions. This course helps you understand what AI actually does, where it helps, where it fails, and how to use it with confidence and good judgment in your own field.

Module 1 builds the foundations: core AI concepts, how AI systems learn from data, why data quality matters, how AI perceives the world, and how to use generative AI well. Module 2 turns understanding into judgment: evaluating AI tools and outputs, fairness and ethics, privacy and academic integrity, and the impact of AI on society and work.

You learn through narrated interactive lessons, real-world case studies, hands-on activities with browser-based AI tools, discussions and quizzes. The course ends with a practical project in which you propose an AI-supported solution or responsible-use framework for a real problem in your field, such as climate change, a health challenge or learning poverty.

What you will be able to do

  • Explain the difference between AI, machine learning, deep learning and generative AI
  • Describe how data trains and shapes AI systems, and why poor or biased data produces poor AI
  • Read and critically evaluate AI-generated outputs, charts and dashboards
  • Identify and compare real-world uses of AI across sectors and disciplines
  • Recognise ethical and academic integrity issues in AI use
  • Assess the fairness, equity and social impact of AI systems
  • Use AI tools responsibly in academic and professional settings
  • Propose an AI-supported solution or responsible-use framework for your own field

Your 16-week route

Each week opens once you complete the one before it, so you can move at your own pace within the course schedule.

Module 1: Foundations, Data and Applications of AI

Weeks 1 to 8, 25 hours, basic level. No prerequisites.

Earns the AI Foundations badge
  • Introduction to AI
    What AI is and isn't, and why it matters now
  • Core Concepts Unpacked
    Machine learning, deep learning and generative AI
  • Data: The Fuel of AI
    Data types, data quality and how bias gets in
  • AI in Everyday Life
    Search, recommendations, assistants and social media
  • Robotics and AI in the Physical World
    Autonomous systems and the humans who oversee them
  • How AI Learns from Data
    Training, prediction and uncertainty
  • Perception AI
    How AI sees, hears and speaks
  • Generative AI in Practice
    Prompting, hallucinations and verifying outputs

Module 2: Ethics, Society and Responsible Use of AI

Weeks 9 to 16, 25 hours, intermediate to advanced. Requires Module 1.

Earns the AI Applications badge
  • Evaluating AI Tools and Outputs
    A structured way to judge accuracy, bias and safety
  • AI and Climate Change
    Monitoring, prediction and the trade-offs involved
  • AI in Higher Education and Research
    Research tools and the risk of fabricated sources
  • Ethics and Fairness in AI
    Bias, transparency and accountability
  • Privacy, Security and Academic Integrity
    Consent, safe use and disclosing AI assistance
  • AI, Society and the Future of Work
    How AI is changing professions, including yours
  • AI Risks, Mitigation and Responsible Use
    Deepfakes, misinformation and practical safeguards
  • Emerging Trends and Final Project
    Agentic AI, regulation and your AI use-case proposal

How you will learn

Each week starts with a narrated, interactive lesson, followed by short activities that connect the ideas to your own discipline.

Assessment is continuous and activity-based. You can reattempt quizzes, and your progress is tracked through engagement and demonstrated understanding.

  • Interactive lessons
    Narrated and captioned, with case studies, scenarios and quick checks built in.
  • Hands-on AI tools
    Guided use of browser-based tools. Nothing to install, and every tool activity has a no-account option.
  • Case studies and discussions
    Analyse real AI successes and failures, and compare perspectives with learners from other fields.
  • Quizzes and self-checks
    Auto-graded, with immediate feedback to show you what to revisit.
  • Final project
    A short proposal for an AI-supported solution to a real problem in your field.

Who should register

  • Undergraduate and postgraduate students
  • Graduates and working professionals
  • Faculty and staff from non-computing disciplines
  • Anyone aged 18 or over who wants a practical foundation in AI

What you need

  • Basic digital skills, such as browsing the web and using email
  • A reliable internet connection
  • A smartphone, tablet or computer
  • No coding, mathematics or prior AI knowledge

Registration Open

USD 15.00
Login to Register