What Are the Best AI Training Courses for Business Leaders?
As you can see from the data below, the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dramatically increased in the last year from a steady ~50% to 72%. This is now mainstream but a.) if you are a C-level in your organization, Board Member or Investor, how knowledgeable are your company leaders to keep up in an AI Change-Driven world and b.) if you are a Business Leader how likely is it for your company to proactively up-skill you?
It’s Time for Business Leaders to Proactively Up-Skill Themselves on AI
If Business Leaders do not gain AI knowledge and experience soon, they will be on a path to career stagnation and their companies will be left behind.
What they don’t know they don’t know about AI is one of the roadblocks to seeing the need for proactively up-skilling themselves and ways they can use AI in their business to better meet their goals.
The best way to gain this AI knowledge is through education and training. Once gained they will be confident in identifying, justifying, and leading AI related projects to take their company to the next level of productivity and sustainable business growth.
Most companies may not be offering AI training, but most will pay for it if a business leader asks. It’s that simple.
Are You an ‘AI Ready’ Leader or Do You Need to Invest in Professional Training?
If you are not sure if you need more AI education, then take our ‘AI Ready’ Leader assessment below. This is a checklist of questions to assess your level of AI mastery from beginner, to proficient to expert. If you are not rating yourself as expert, then it’s time to boost your AI expertise through professional training.
AI Training Courses for Business Leaders?
Here are some of the best AI training courses for business leaders that provide an industry-respected certificate of expertise, along with their costs:
(Note: Generated by industry research, discussions with clients and placed GameChanging Leadership candidates and ChatGPT)
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Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy by MIT Sloan
- Overview: This course focuses on the strategic implications of AI for business. It’s designed for senior executives and business leaders
- Certificate: MIT Sloan Executive Certificate
- Cost: $3,200
- Duration: 6 weeks, 6-8 hours per week
- Platform: MIT Sloan
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AI in Business and Strategy by London Business School (LBS)
- Overview: This course helps business leaders develop AI-driven strategies and understand AI’s role in business innovation
- Certificate: London Business School Certificate
- Cost: £2,300 (~$2,900 USD)
- Duration: 6 weeks, 6-8 hours per week
- Platform: London Business School
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Artificial Intelligence for Business Leaders by INSEAD
- Overview: INSEAD’s program emphasizes integrating AI into business strategies for effective decision-making and innovation
- Certificate: INSEAD Certificate
- Cost: €2,800 (~$3,000 USD)
- Duration: 5 weeks, 5-6 hours per week
- Platform: INSEAD
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AI for Business Leaders by Wharton Online
- Overview: This course covers the applications and strategies for AI in various business functions, offered by the prestigious Wharton School
- Certificate: Wharton School Certificate
- Cost: $2,600
- Duration: 6 weeks, 4-6 hours per week
- Platform: Wharton Online
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Professional Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Business by Columbia Business School
- Overview: A comprehensive program that equips business leaders with the knowledge to implement AI strategies effectively
- Certificate: Columbia Business School Professional Certificate
- Cost: $3,750
- Duration: 3 months, 5-7 hours per week
- Platform: Columbia Business School
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AI Applications for Growth by Kellogg School of Management
- Overview: Provides a unique behind-the-scenes view of how established enterprises as well as startups, leverage AI for value creation and industry disruption.
- Certificate: Kellogg School of Management Certificate
- Cost: $2,755
- Duration: 8 weeks, 4-6 hours per week
- Platform: Kellogg School of Management
These programs offer industry-recognized certificates and provide valuable insights for business leaders looking to incorporate AI into their strategic decision-making processes. The costs vary depending on the institution and the depth of the program.
For those looking for less expensive options a good place to start is with the Coursera online learning platform. They have 130 business leader related AI training courses to choose from, including certifications from leading companies like Google, AWS, Microsoft and IBM to universities such as Wharton, Duke, Vanderbilt and Stanford:
Another option is to work directly with a university for your company’s customized AI training and education.
If you are going to make this level of investment, then the question to consider is whether tomorrow’s ‘AI’ leaders will have degrees in the Arts and Humanities or Computer Science and Engineering. Given that AI’s full potential is limited by our imagination and fueled by new ideas there definitely needs to be more focus on the humanities and developing the AI/EQ empathy power skill.
Better still, to work with those colleges such a Lindenwood University who, with AI housed within its College of Arts and Humanities, and inspired by the essential human traits for the new AI-informed leaders, offer a combination of these disciplines along with industry collaboration labs. For example, their programs, led by Dr. James Hutson, focus on an interdisciplinary approach, integrating Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Extended Reality (XR) technologies such as VR, AR, and MR. These diverse fields converge to create innovative, real-world applications that can be tailored to the specific needs of companies and their business leaders.
In summary, as Generative AI and ML Algorithms continue to transform the landscape of business transformation, tomorrow’s AI leaders will not only need to understand how these tools, platforms, and systems work but also possess the essential power skills necessary for effective leadership. Merely being technically proficient will not suffice in an environment where the true value of AI lies in its ability to fuel creativity, critical thinking, leadership, and collaboration.