Introduction
MIT xPRO Professional Certifications are application-focused. They are for professionals who want to advance in the fields or venture into a new field. This blog post will review the MIT AI Professional Certificate (Designing and Building AI Products and Services) – one of the MIT Professional Certification programs.
It will explore some of the important features of this Professional Certificate;
- What is the MIT xPro AI Professional Certificate?
- Who is the certificate for?
- The requirements for the MIT AI Certificate program
- The Program Curriculum and Schedule
- The cost and the duration
- What you will learn from the Program – Key takeaways
- Ultimately, whether or not the AI certificate is worth it.
What is the MIT xPRO Professional AI Certificate?
This MIT Professional Certificate program focuses on teaching the fundamentals of Machine and Deep learning algorithms, the Design of AI-based products and Services, and how to apply them in solving practical problems.
The program is fully online, comprising lecture materials from MIT faculty members and guest interaction with industry leaders on the subject. The course material includes videos, reading materials, group discussions, live sessions, projects, and assignments.
The award of a Certificate from MIT formalizes your training upon completion of the Program.
The Certificate Curriculum/Training Module
The MIT Professional Certificate in Designing and Building AI Products and Services consists of 8 modules – one for each week. The breakdown of these are as follows;
- Module 1: Introduction to the Artificial Intelligence Design Process
- Module 2: Artificial Intelligence Technology Fundamentals — Machine Learning
- Module 3: Artificial Intelligence Technology Fundamentals — Deep Learning
- Module 4: Designing Artificial Machines to Solve Problems
- Module 5: Designing Intelligent Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
- Module 6: Superminds: Designing Organizations That Combine Artificial and Human Intelligence
- Module 7: Marketplace Frontiers of AI Design: Research
- Module 8: Marketplace Frontiers of AI Design: Practice
In these modules, you will learn to build your skills and knowledge of some of the most advanced AI applications and resources.
These include ;
- Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3) – which is one of the most sophisticated language prediction models
- Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) – a Deep Learning Architecture for generating realistic images, voice, and video output commonly used in Media production.
- Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) – A real-world application where AI assists and promotes the development of a Human-Computer Interaction interface.
- Google’s Soli – a miniature radar used for motion sense detection. It can detect precise movements – even read your body language (without using a camera)
- Cough Test App – an industrial use case, using AI to detect the early onset of COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease.
Finally, you also will be required to build a Capstone Project based on the knowledge you gained from the Certification.
Who is the Program for?
This certificate program is for professionals looking for ways to enhance their understanding of AI technologies and tools, and people who want to learn about the designing and building of AI-based tools and services.
The requirements for the MIT Professional Certificate
Although these requirements are not a must, it is beneficial to have some knowledge of;
- Maths – calculus, linear algebra
- Statistics, and probabilities
- Some basics in Python programming language.
How long does it take to Complete?
The MIT xPro Professional Certificate in Designing and Building AI Products and Services is an 8-week (or a 2-month) training program. It demands that you dedicate a minimum of 6 hours a week.
How much does the MIT AI course cost?
The program costs US$2,950 which can be paid upfront in a single installment or in a series of 2 or 3-part installments. A breakdown of the payment schedule is as follows;
| Payment Type | Fees in USD |
| Single Installment (Upfront) payment | US$2,950 |
| 2-Part Installments | US$1,565 + US$1,444* |
| 3-Part Installments | US$1,115 + US$991 + US$992* |
(* The 2 and 3-part installments are slightly higher overall).
There are also discounts of up to 10 percent ($295) for every person you refer to the program. This can help you significantly reduce the financial burden.
What You Will Learn – Key Takeaways
The key takeaways of the program will enable build a foundation, expand your knowledge, apply your skills to actual practical problems, and become Proficient
Build a foundation
- Learn the four stages of AI product design
- Identify applicable AI technologies to improve organizational processes
- Analyze technical and operational requirements to build AI models.
Expand your knowledge
- Differentiate between various machine learning algorithms
- Design AI products to solve organizational issues
- Learn about challenges you may encounter when designing AI products
Apply learnings
- Learn to apply machine learning methods to practical problems
- Design intelligent human-machine interfaces
- Assess AI opportunities in various fields such as healthcare and education
Become proficient
The Certificate you get
One of the key features of the Certification program is the award of a Professional Certificate (certificate of completion) from MIT that formalizes your training. It validates your understanding and skills in designing and building AI Products and Services.
MIT professional certificates are respected globally and can significantly improve your chances of getting a job or upgrading one. This certificate is in digital form and is shareable on Linkedin and other online platforms.
The MIT xPRO certificate program is graded as a pass or fail. You must receive 75% in the assessment to pass and obtain the certificate. You also receive 5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) when you complete the program. This can be used for further studies.
Is the MIT AI certificate worth it?
The benefits of the certification are that you will learn to develop skills and your understanding of Designing and Building AI-based tools, formalized MIT credentials that can be very valuable in your search for jobs, and become an Alumni of MIT’s xPRO community which broadens your professional network across the globe.
There is much value in the Certificate – the only perceived downside may be the cost, which is also relative. A full semester at MIT (one of the most prestigious institutions in the world) is certainly more than $3000.
Program Registration link (not an affiliate link): https://xpro.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:xPRO+AIPSx+R1/
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. How much demand is there for AI?
According to expert reports, there has been a 5 fold increase in the demand for AI skills and the trend is not waning anytime soon. AI impacts almost every industry – manufacturing, media, finance, entertainment, security, advertisement, healthcare, etc. and demand for AI professionals will continue to increase.
Also, the 2023 Job Report by the World Economic Forum Reports predicts a 30-35 percent increase in the demand for AI, ML, and Data Science niches in the next 5 years.
2. How much do you get paid in AI?
What you earn as a professional working in the AI field largely depends on the type of job roles you are undertaking and the type of organization. Research and Large organizations will typically pay more AI professionals.
Some of the top-paying AI roles and their salaries (according to Glassdoor) are as follows
- Natural Language Processing Engineer – $164K – $268K/year
- AI Research Scientist – 134K – $222K/year
- AI Architect – $145K – $215K/year
- AI Engineer – $114K – $212K/year
- AI Programmer – $105K – 190K /year
3. Is it easy to get a job in artificial intelligence?
Most jobs in Artificial Intelligence are specialized roles, often in mid-level to big organizations. Getting a job with many of such institutions will often require you to hold a degree, and/or some professional certifications from recognized sources, work experience, and a work port to demonstrate your hands-on skill in AI.
Without a degree or certifications, the chances are slim for AI jobs.
Photo credits: https://www.wired.com (Google’s Soli )
See review of other MIT Certificates MIT xPro Professional Certificate in Cybersecurity Review and MIT DATA ENGINEERING PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE REVIEW
