It’s nearly impossible to scroll through your newsfeed today without seeing headlines about AI or artificial intelligence. In recent years, AI has become as common a shorthand as ATM is. Just as no one uses the phrase “automated teller machine” anymore, soon everyone will know what AI means. It may already be happening now.
While the concept of artificial intelligence has existed for centuries, humankind made scant progress until the digital age. With an increasing need for faster and more targeted computing tasks, AI creates the ability for systems and programs to provide human-like responses to data inputs. Read on to learn more about how AI can help increase your productivity or offer new career opportunities.
AI Classes Near Me
Noble Desktop offers multiple individual AI classes, bootcamps, and certificate programs that feature AI within a broader curriculum. Their AI for Business with ChatGPT & Copilot course gives AI beginners a range of essential skills they can immediately implement. Topics include real-life ChatGPT applications, Microsoft Copilot for workplace productivity, and how you can integrate AI with Office 365 apps.
Want to learn more about AI in a non-programming career? You can save by taking the AI for Business with ChatGPT & Copilot class as part of the immersive Generative AI Certificate program. This cutting-edge 78-hour program covers AI for workplace productivity, data analytics, marketing, graphic design, and other essential business areas of interest. You’ll streamline task automation, enhance SEO efforts, and even design videos in an instructor-led online environment.
Planning a career in data science or analytics? Launch your journey with confidence by enrolling in the AI & Data Science Certificate program from Noble Desktop. This 114-hour intensive covers data science fundamentals, Python programming, structured query language (SQL), data visualization, and machine learning (ML). For a limited time, you can also receive 30 bonus training hours with Noble’s Python for AI: Create AI Apps with Flask & OpenAI. Check the listings for course availability and more details.
General Assembly also provides multiple training options for students looking to expand their AI skills. Their Data Analytics Bootcamp covers fundamental subjects like Python, Excel, SQL, and Tableau. General Assembly programs are available live online part-time or full-time, so check the listings for scheduling.
Another respected provider, Flatiron School, hosts a Data Science Bootcamp live online via teleconferencing. The 15-week course covers Python, SQL, Jupyter Notebook, machine learning (ML), and other key subjects. The intensive program features three capstone portfolio projects students can show to recruiters and hiring managers after graduation.
AI novices can continue their education by taking classes at the Georgetown School of Continuing Studies. Their 12-week Online Certificate in Data Analytics is a beginner-friendly program for busy professionals who want to combine on-campus training with live online coursework. The class includes statistical analysis, visualization techniques, and other essential topics relevant to various industries.
Learning Tree International provides in-depth training for Python programmers, including their Advanced Python: Best Practices and Design Patterns course. The four-day program is available in-person or live online by teleconferencing. Check the course listings for detailed prerequisite information.
The American Management Association offers an AI Business Essentials Certificate program for those looking to expand their knowledge. Topics include AI terms and concepts, business solutions, and AI initiatives. See the AMA website for more information, as members may be eligible for discounted tuition.
What Can You Do with AI Training?
What you do with AI training depends on your current position (if any), how much you plan to use AI tools and techniques, and the length and breadth of the program. For example, some business pros take a single AI class to improve productivity or learn task automation. However, future Data Analysts may need an intensive bootcamp or certificate that features AI or includes it in a broader curriculum. Consider the following high-level projects you can undertake with AI.
Build Applications
Many courses teach students how to use AI tools to create applications. These vary widely, from language translators to weather apps, chatbots, and voice assistants. Top AI app builders include Bubble, Softr, and Microsoft PowerApps, to name a few.
Create Social Media Content
Every organization needs a strong social media presence, and AI can help keep up with posting demands. Popular AI social media content creation tools include HubSpot’s AI Social Media Caption Generator and AI assistants from Buffer and ContentStudio.
Create Macros
Tools like Microsoft Copilot can help AI users create a macro that scans documents for sentence length or other issues. If they tend to write in a wordy style, the macro can flag any phrases or sentences that meet pre-specified criteria.
How Much Does It Cost to Learn AI?
Like other complex, multifaceted topics, AI training varies broadly. Classes range from 1-day seminars and workshops to intensive certificate programs that run for as many as six months. Therefore, their cost also varies broadly. Consider a typical range for a one- or two-day workshop to run about $600 to $750, while a full-length certificate price range is around $5,000 to $7,500.
Can I Learn AI for Free Online?
Learning about AI through free online resources like the Noble Desktop YouTube channel makes an excellent beginning for most novices. However, free resources like videos and blog posts cannot substitute for professional skills development. Compare and contrast paid programs to find the one that best meets your training needs, schedule, and budget.
Is AI Hard to Learn?
For most beginners, learning new AI tools is enjoyable and not at all difficult. Nearly everyone today already knows recommendation engines like those on Netflix and Amazon and voice recognition tools like Siri and Alexa. The steps from using one to building one are logical and sequential.
However, getting familiar with a skill is different from becoming an expert. Unless you are a business owner looking for a few tools, consider enrolling in a bootcamp or certificate program that features AI or includes it within a broader data science or development curriculum.
How Long Does It Take to Learn AI?
The time it takes to get comfortable experimenting with AI is much less than it takes to learn AI for a career. A business owner or manager can learn tools like Copilot and ChatGPT in a couple of days through a course like the AI for Business with ChatGPT & Copilot from Noble Desktop. Mastering AI for a career can take five or six months, but it's attainable through an immersive certificate or certification program.
Industries That Use AI
The Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) boasts multiple industries thriving in today's fast-paced, tech-centered environment. If you plan to start a career in AI or add AI tools and skills to uplevel from a current role, consider the following top Baltimore-area sectors.
Government (Federal, State & Local)
Education and healthcare account for the highest percentage of the Baltimore workforce. Many fall within the category of government, including public education and health services. The area’s proximity to Washington, DC, means that many federal employees live there, and Maryland Department of Human Services programs range from SNAP (the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) to Medicaid and disability assistance.
Professional & Business Services
The professional and business services supersector includes many smaller sectors that can benefit from AI tools and skills. Finance pros can use AI for everything from accounting and bookkeeping to data analysis, and medical staff benefit from AI for early detection, diagnostic imaging, and precision medicine. The professional and business services industry is one of Baltimore’s biggest, and it promises continued growth and development.
Trade, Transportation, & Utilities
Another top Baltimore industry falls under the broad category called trade, transportation, and utilities. This wide-ranging supersector includes subsectors like wholesale and retail trade, transportation and warehousing, electric and natural gas power, and water supply, to name a few. Industry workers use AI for everything from predictive maintenance to route optimization, supply chain management, and power grid management.
Other essential Baltimore industries include construction, leisure and hospitality, IT, and manufacturing.
AI Job Titles and Salaries
Few roles specify AI in their titles, but numerous positions require or benefit from AI expertise. These include data science and analysis, Python development, and machine learning (ML), but there are many others. You can use popular keywords like ChatGPT and Copilot in online job searches if you plan to specialize in AI or your career requires it. Consider some of the highest-paying AI-centered roles in Baltimore.
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Data Scientist—The Data Scientist position is among the most respected in the broader computer science field. Many Data Scientists also exceed six figures in salary. The average salary for a Data Scientist in the Baltimore area is around $107,000 annually, not including additional compensation like 401(k) plans or bonuses.
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Software Engineer—Another career that can benefit from AI expertise is that of Software Engineer. These highly skilled tech pros work with applications or operating systems, and their average annual salary in Baltimore runs about $112,000.
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AI Research Engineer, Python Developer—Among the most highly compensated AI roles in the Baltimore area are two very different careers: AI Research Engineers and Python Developers. While their positions differ, their average pay is similar—around $132,000, eight percent above the national average for comparable positions.
AI Corporate Training
Does your team need to begin learning AI tools or expand its AI skill set? Noble Desktop provides corporate and onsite AI training for organizations and individuals. Employers can choose from current offerings or have Noble customize a program to meet your organization's needs and preferences.
If you want your employees to have more flexibility with their AI education, Noble also offers discounted vouchers for its group courses. Employers get a discount when they purchase the vouchers in bulk. Topics include AI for Excel, data analytics, marketing, and design, to name a few. For more information, contact Noble Desktop at corporate@nobledesktop.com for a no-obligation consultation today.