Free AI courses for beginners
Jason Wade, Founder NinjaAI • July 7, 2025

Now is the time to learn all about AI
🧠 1. Elements of AI – University of Helsinki
- Duration: ~6 weeks (self-paced)
- Topics: What AI is, basic machine learning, neural networks, societal implications
- Best for: Absolute beginners, non-technical learners
- Pros: No coding required, available in multiple languages
💻 2. Machine Learning – Stanford University by Andrew Ng (via Coursera)
- Duration: ~11 weeks (self-paced)
- Topics: Supervised/unsupervised learning, neural networks, SVMs, clustering
- Best for: Beginners with some math background
- Pros: Taught by Andrew Ng, foundational course in ML
- Note: Free to audit (pay for certificate)
🎓 3. AI For Everyone – Andrew Ng (Coursera)
- Duration: ~4 weeks
- Topics: How AI works, applications, ethics, project planning
- Best for: Non-programmers, business professionals
- Pros: No coding or math required, clear and concise
👩💻 4. Google AI – Machine Learning Crash Course
- Duration: ~15 hours
- Topics: ML fundamentals, TensorFlow, real-world examples
- Best for: Those with Python basics
- Pros: Includes interactive coding exercises
📊 5. Intro to Artificial Intelligence – Udacity (free course)
- Duration: ~4 months (at 6 hrs/week)
- Topics: Search, logic, planning, Bayesian networks, machine learning
- Best for: Motivated beginners
- Pros: Hands-on content, Python-focused
📚 6. Harvard’s CS50’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python
- Duration: 7 weeks
- Topics: Search algorithms, knowledge representation, neural networks, NLP
- Best for: Beginners with some Python knowledge
- Pros: Project-based learning
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📦 Bonus: Fast.ai Practical Deep Learning for Coders (Part 1)
- Link: https://course.fast.ai/
- Requirement: Some coding experience in Python
- Best for: Beginners with programming background who want hands-on deep learning skills