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Coursera

GenAI Foundations for Professionals

Starweaver via Coursera

Overview

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Gen AI Foundations for Professionals is a hands-on course designed for professionals who want to use generative AI tools like ChatGPT effectively and responsibly at work. As AI reshapes business workflows—from drafting reports to synthesizing feedback—this course builds your fluency in using large language models with purpose and precision. Through four structured modules, you’ll demystify how generative AI works, learn to craft high-quality prompts, and integrate AI into common workplace tasks without compromising accuracy, ethics, or data privacy. You’ll gain practical strategies for brainstorming, summarizing, and decision support—while building safeguards against bias, hallucinations, and over-reliance. Interactive activities, downloadable resources, and real-world examples help you design prompts, evaluate outputs, and develop a roadmap for responsible AI adoption. Whether you're a team lead, analyst, or early-career professional, you’ll walk away ready to collaborate with AI—confidently and ethically—in your day-to-day role.

Syllabus

  • Foundations of Generative AI
    • This module builds the essential understanding of what generative AI is—and what it is not. You’ll explore how large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude generate outputs, why they can be powerful productivity partners, and where their limits and risks appear. By grounding yourself in the fundamentals, you’ll gain the clarity to see through the hype, recognize practical opportunities, and approach AI with both curiosity and caution.
  • Everyday AI Habits & Prompting Skills
    • Generative AI is only as effective as the instructions you give it. This module focuses on the art and science of prompting—how to write, refine, and adapt prompts that produce useful results. You’ll practice different prompting techniques, explore common use cases for productivity and creativity, and learn how to troubleshoot poor outputs. By the end of this module, you’ll have a toolkit of practical strategies you can apply immediately to get more value from AI in your daily work.
  • AI in the Workplace: Opportunities & Risks
    • Generative AI is rapidly moving from novelty to necessity in professional settings. This module explores how AI can boost productivity while also introducing new risks around accuracy, bias, and trust. You’ll see how to apply AI tools to real workplace tasks, collaborate effectively with colleagues while using AI, and learn from both successful and failed adoption efforts in different industries. By the end, you’ll know how to harness AI’s benefits while safeguarding against its pitfalls.
  • Responsible Adoption & Future Roadmap
    • Generative AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a long-term shift in how work gets done. This final module focuses on responsible adoption, ethical guardrails, and building your personal and professional roadmap for AI use. You’ll learn decision frameworks to know when to use AI (and when not to), strategies for integrating AI into your role or team workflows, and insights into emerging trends shaping the future of work. By the end, you’ll be ready to use AI with confidence, accountability, and foresight.

Taught by

Eric Zackrison and Starweaver

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