Sees 642 per cent YoY increase in enrollments for GenAI-related courses in the Philippines
On AI Appreciation Day, Coursera (NYSE: COUR), a leading online learning platform, unveiled a series of groundbreaking initiatives designed to empower individuals and institutions with essential Generative AI (GenAI) skills, enabling them to harness the transformative potential of AI technology.
These new offerings include cutting-edge GenAI-focused content and credentials, updates to the existing Professional Certificate portfolio with GenAI-specific enhancements, improvements to Coursera Coach, and an expanded GenAI Academy aimed at equipping businesses with vital GenAI skills.
A recent AWS report highlighted that employers in the ASEAN region are willing to pay 36% more for workers with AI skills, underscoring the growing demand for GenAI expertise globally, including in the Philippines. The same report also stated that advanced digital skills like cloud architecture and software development add an estimated US$6.3 trillion annually to the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
To date, Coursera has seen over 2 million enrollments globally, with 13,000 of those coming from the Philippines — a staggering 642% year-over-year increase.
“The soaring demand for GenAI courses by Filipino learners on Coursera underscores their resilience and forward-thinking spirit needed to thrive in a world driven by rapid technological shifts,” said Raghav Gupta, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Coursera. “On this AI Appreciation Day, we are thrilled to enhance our offerings of mission-critical GenAI skills through trusted brands and credentials, turning it into an engine of opportunity for everyone. By embracing AI-enhanced learning and developing an AI-skilled talent pool, the Philippines can harness GenAI’s potential to empower every citizen and drive significant economic growth.”
Coursera to offer seven new GenAI courses
Among the new initiatives announced by Coursera are seven new GenAI courses, specializations, and certificates from top partners. These include:
- Generative AI for Software Development Skills Certificate from DeepLearning.AI – Designed for software developers and engineers at all stages in their careers, this program will explore how large language models (LLMs) work, their architecture, and their applications in various coding tasks.
- Programming with Generative AI from IIT Guwahati – Designed for software developers, tech leads, or AI enthusiasts, this hands-on course explores how GenAI tools can transform the coding workflow.
- Artificial Intelligence Graduate Certificate from the University of Colorado Boulder – This comprehensive program helps learners build a strong foundation in key AI topics, including GenAI, natural language processing, computer vision, and ethics.
- Generative AI in Marketing specialization from UVA Darden – This four-course series explores how GenAI frameworks, applications, and considerations are essential to creating and sustaining an effective AI marketing solution.
- Responsible Generative AI specialization from University of Michigan – By exploring the possibilities and risks of GenAI, learners will be able to identify impacts relevant to business operations, consumers, society, and the environment.
- Change Management for Generative AI course from Vanderbilt University – This course will delve into the strategies and frameworks necessary for organizations to successfully implement and adapt to GenAI.
- Generative AI for Kids, Parents, and Teachers course from Vanderbilt University – Designed as a resource for parents and teachers, this free course will help children navigate a world filled with GenAI. It will teach kids how to use GenAI to innovate, solve problems, use multimodal prompting, and engage in creative thinking.
Coursera is also enhancing eight entry-level Professional Certificates from IBM, Microsoft, and Meta with GenAI updates, incorporating new activities, readings, and videos. These certificates, which help learners enter high-demand fields such as cybersecurity, data analytics, and project management within six months without a prior degree or experience, will now include GenAI-specific content in the following:
- Data Analyst from IBM
- Data Engineering from IBM
- Data Science from IBM
- Full Stack Software Developer from IBM
- Cybersecurity Analyst from Microsoft
- Power BI Data Analyst from Microsoft
- Marketing Analytics from Meta
- Social Media Marketing from Meta
Furthermore, the GenAI Academy is expanding with ‘GenAI for Teams,’ a new catalogue from top research institutions and companies designed to equip teams with GenAI skills tailored to their business functions. This initiative includes:
- GenAI for Software and Product Teams (100+ courses): Streamlining routine tasks such as code generation and documentation, freeing up time for higher-value, differentiated offerings.
- GenAI for Data Teams (70+ courses): Optimizing complex tasks such as data analysis and visualization, enabling deeper insights and more accurate business recommendations.
- GenAI for Marketing Teams (60+ courses): Maximizing customer lifetime value through deeper insights, content personalization, and efficient targeting at scale.
Additionally, Coursera is introducing Coursera Coach as a Sidebar Experience. Launched in 2023, Coursera Coach provides AI-powered guidance within the learning experience and will now be available as a sidebar within courses, making it a more integrated part of the learning journey. Coursera Coach will enable learners to:
- Ask questions to clarify material and stay on track
- Summarize key takeaways for better note-taking
- Practice for quizzes and tests to solidify knowledge and identify gaps
- Explore how their learning aligns with current or future goals
Launched in January 2024, Coursera’s Generative AI (GenAI) Academy aims to equip executives and employees with the skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven workplace. The academy offers a unique blend of foundational literacy and executive education programs from top research universities and companies at the forefront of AI, including Microsoft, Stanford Online, Vanderbilt University, DeepLearning.AI, Fractal Analytics, Google Cloud, and AWS.
Coursera is leveraging the power of GenAI to revolutionize online learning. The platform now offers AI-powered translations for over 4,600 courses and 55 Professional Certificates in 21 languages, making education more accessible to a global audience. An AI-powered Course Builder streamlines content creation, enabling institutions and businesses to develop custom courses efficiently.
Additionally, Coursera is committed to maintaining academic integrity through a new suite of AI-powered tools that enhance assessment and grading processes, ensuring genuine learning and skill development.
Coursera, launched in 2012 by Stanford Computer Science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, is one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, with more than 148 million registered learners as of March 31, 2024.
Coursera partners with over 300 leading universities and industry partners to offer a broad catalogue of content and credentials, including courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates, Guided Projects, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Institutions worldwide use Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens, and students in fields such as data science, technology, and business. Coursera became a Delaware public benefit corporation and a B Corp in February 2021.