Are Artificial Intelligence Courses Worth It?

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes a major part of industries across the world, more people are wondering if AI courses are worth the effort.

So, Should I Learn AI?

Learning AI is becoming less of a niche skill and more of a professional necessity.

“Whatever the future holds, AI is most assuredly here to stay,” said Thomas D. Leary IV, EdD, assistant vice president of learning solutions at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), who supports work to help meet the evolving needs of students and faculty.

In fact, 92% of companies surveyed by McKinsey & Company plan to invest more in generative AI technologies over the next three years. And, the 2025 report said, more than 70% of all employees believe that generative AI will change 30% or more of their work within the next couple of years.

Suffice to say, a majority of the workforce will soon add AI applications into their day-to-day responsibilities — if they haven’t already.

So, it’s important to start learning more about what AI is, and, according to Leary, what it does, how it works and how it can add value to your role. Doing so may be what keeps you competitive in your field.

“Even understanding (AI) at a foundational level matters because it helps us embrace its power while also knowing what to question, when human oversight is needed and how to ensure ethical, responsible use,” said Marcy Vadurro, the associate vice president of strategic foresight at SNHU, where she leads professional skills work. “The more we understand AI, the better we can guide it rather than be guided by it.”

How to Upskill in AI

There are many ways to upskill in AI, from structured courses to informal practice. Some examples, according to Leary, include:

• Attending workshops or webinars
• Experimenting with AI tools during everyday tasks
• Joining communities of practice about AI related to your field
• Taking online courses or micro-credentials, like a skills badge

“The key here is to pair your expanding AI knowledge with hands-on practice in controlled and purposeful contexts,” Leary said.

Is It Worth Taking an AI Course?

Taking an AI course can be a smart move if you’re looking to stay relevant in the workplace.

According to Leary, AI courses can help you:

• Build skills in areas like prompt design (the request you put into an AI tool), workflow automation and evaluation of AI-generated content.
• Critically analyze the use of AI, including when it’s appropriate and when it isn’t.
• Develop knowledge of and practice with foundational aspects of generative AI.

Depending on the course, you might also learn to create code to analyze data and develop AI-driven solutions, according to Dr. Cheryl Frederick, an academic dean of online STEM programs at SNHU. You'll also build fluency in AI terminology, get comfortable using certain tools and learn to apply AI in real-world contexts, she said.

While you’ll likely learn technical knowledge through coursework, you’ll also practice problem-solving and consider productivity improvements, among other industry-specific and broader topics. In one of the professional skills courses Vadurro oversees at SNHU — Generative AI: Concept to Innovation — critical thinking skills are honed, given the need for human oversight when it comes to AI.

Whatever topic you want to learn more about, Vadurro recommended looking for courses that allow you to gain hands-on learning.

Depending on your goals, you have a few options at SNHU:

• If you’re an undergraduate student, you can enroll in AI courses as part of your program, either bundled together as a four-course generative AI concentration or individually.
• If you’re not in a degree program, you can take an online AI course without being enrolled in a full program — or you can earn a Generative AI Practitioner badge in a shorter micro-credential course.

You can also get some practice on your own using one of the many free AI tools. Signing up for a course, though, may help you level up your overall knowledge and skills.

“Taking an AI course will empower you (to) understand the technology and how it impacts our lives,” Vadurro said. “It is also a signal that you are committed to lifelong learning and want to be ahead of the curve when it comes to upskilling.”

You can include AI courses on your resume, and some may even result in a badge or certificate of completion that you can share.

If you’re already a member of the workforce, you might consider asking your employer to help pay for your AI course. They may recognize the training as an investment that not only benefits you, but the organization too.

“A credential signals that you’re not only comfortable with AI, but that you’ve taken the time to understand how to use it in your field,” Leary said.

Is a Degree in AI Worth It?

Technical AI degrees, such as a master's in computer science with an AI concentration, can prepare you for highly specialized roles in the field.

“Degrees continue to carry strong value with employers,” Frederick said. "Particularly when programs intentionally integrate AI skills throughout the curriculum, preparing graduates for long-term growth, adaptability and leadership in an AI-driven workforce.”

In SNHU’s computer science bachelor’s degree program, for instance, there are courses that use AI-supported feedback systems that deliver immediate feedback to students as they work on certain assignments. And in the computer science master’s program, there is a course that teaches you how to write code alongside an AI tool.

“This approach prepares students to work in modern development environments where AI-supported coding, collaboration and version control are standard practice,” Frederick said.

Read more: AI and Computer Science: How a CS Master’s Prepares You

Some AI roles don’t require advanced math or programming knowledge, though, making them more accessible to people without a technical background. For instance, you might be an accountant who now automates data entry components of your job and uses AI tools to flag unusual transactions.

If that’s the case, AI courses may be a better option for you. In fact, Leary said that courses — as opposed to an entire degree program — can be a more flexible and efficient way to learn about the subject — particularly as AI continues to rapidly evolve.

Is AI Hard to Learn?

Yes... and no. What’s great, according to Vadurro, is that there are plenty of tools that will help you start using AI in your daily life. That being said, achieving AI efficiency takes time and practice. You probably won’t get the most meaningful outputs without it, she said.

Another tricky part about AI that you have to get used to is that it isn’t always accurate. “You cannot just trust what you are being served by generative AI to be true,” Vadurro said. But whether through a course or some other type of training, you’ll learn to evaluate the generated content.

If you want AI to start coming easier to you, Vadurro said you’ll have to better understand how to write prompts and get the most out of the tools available to you, either in your work or personal life.

While all of that may sound complicated, courses can give you the direction you need to demystify artificial intelligence technologies, accelerate your learning and gain confidence, Frederick noted.

“AI courses provide structured pathways through a broad and rapidly evolving field where it can be difficult to know where to begin, what to focus on or which resources are appropriate for a given skill level,” she said.

Rebecca LeBoeuf Blanchette '18 '22G is a writer at Southern New Hampshire University, where she fulfills her love of learning daily through conversations with professionals across a range of fields. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a minor in Professional Writing at SNHU’s campus in Manchester, New Hampshire, and followed her love of storytelling into the online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing at SNHU. Connect with her on LinkedIn.