Coursera marks AI Appreciation Day by introducing GenAI Certificates and Specializations
In a move to address the rapid upskilling demands in digital and AI skills across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Coursera, Inc. (NYSE: COUR) has announced a significant expansion of its AI-focused learning offerings. This expansion includes the launch of new Generative AI (GenAI) Professional Certificates and Specializations, developed in collaboration with industry leaders such as AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud, IBM, and Snowflake.
The new certificates and specializations are designed to accelerate access to critical digital skills in GenAI, responding to the region's high rate of skills transformation, where 46% of on-the-job skills are expected to change by 2030, higher than the global average.
The expansion adds to a catalog that now includes over 925 AI-focused courses. Since the launch of ChatGPT, learners in MENA have spent nearly half a million hours building GenAI skills, equivalent to over 53 years of continuous learning. GenAI enrollments in the MENA region have surpassed 500,000, with learners in the UAE and Saudi Arabia each exceeding 100,000 enrollees.
Despite strong interest, most learners (80%) are still at beginner level, indicating the importance of these newly introduced advanced training pathways. Demographic insights show that millennials dominate participation (60%), followed by Gen X (21%) and Gen Z (18%), with women representing only 25% of GenAI learners, highlighting ongoing gender disparities in the region.
To cater to specific job roles, IBM has announced four job-specific GenAI Specializations: Generative AI for HR Professionals, Generative AI for Product Owners, Generative AI for Growth Marketing, and Generative AI for Java and Spring Developers. Google Cloud has announced a Generative AI Leader certificate, and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, has announced a Generative AI in Financial Services Specialization.
Other announcements include a Generative AI & Governmental Financial Reporting Specialization from Rutgers University, a Retrieval Augmented Generation course from DeepLearning.AI, and two new certificates from Microsoft: Microsoft AI Product Manager and Microsoft 365 with Generative AI. AWS has announced two new certificates: AWS Generative AI Applications and AWS Generative AI for Developers.
Coursera has also translated over 5,500 courses and 65 Professional Certificates into 26 languages, including Arabic and French, to cater to a broader audience. The company has reported over 120,000 learners engaged through the translated courses, with learners in Saudi Arabia ranking among the top three globally for engagement with these translated courses.
The expansion comes as Coursera continues to prioritise reskilling and upskilling in the face of automation and industry transformations. The need for reskilling is high, with 46% of on-the-job skills expected to change by 2030 in the region.
Sources: [1] Coursera press release, 2023.
- To address the region's high rate of skills transformation, Coursera has expanded its AI-focused learning offerings, including new Generative AI Professional Certificates and Specializations, developed in collaboration with industry leaders.
- These new certificates and specializations are designed to accelerate access to critical digital skills in GenAI, catering to specific job roles and responding to the region's need for reskilling and upskilling in response to industry transformations.
- The expansion of Coursera's AI-focused offerings comes as the government, businesses, and educational institutions recognize the importance of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of work in the MENA region.
- To further support the region's workforce transformation, Coursera has translated over 5,500 courses and 65 Professional Certificates into multiple languages, including Arabic and French, to cater to a broader audience and address ongoing gender disparities in GenAI learning.
