When you enroll in this course, you'll also be asked to select a specific program.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 5 modules in this course
Welcome to the world of Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs)—where technology mirrors human creativity and intelligence. This course is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of generative models, including their evolution, applications, and the underlying architectures that make them possible.
Throughout the modules, you'll explore various generative techniques such as GANs (Generative Adversarial Networks), VAEs (Variational Autoencoders), diffusion models, and multimodal AI. You'll also gain hands-on experience with tools like OpenAI's GPT, Hugging Face, Streamlit, and MLflow, ensuring you can deploy and fine-tune models for real-world applications.
Take your first steps into the exciting world of generative AI, where you'll distinguish between various model types including GANs, VAEs, transformers, and diffusion models. You'll explore the evolution of generative technologies and examine their real-world applications while considering important ethical implications that accompany these powerful tools.
What's included
9 videos7 readings5 assignments2 ungraded labs
Show info about module content
9 videos•Total 21 minutes
Welcome to Generative AI•2 minutes
Training a Discriminative Model: Logistic Regression on 2D Blobs•2 minutes
Fitting and Visualizing a Generative Model•2 minutes
From GANs to Autoregressive Models: Hands-On with Generative Basics•3 minutes
Diffusion Models in Action: From Noise to Realistic Outputs•2 minutes
What Can LLMs Do Today? Real Use Cases Across Providers•2 minutes
What Can Vision-Language Models Do? Image + Text in Action•3 minutes
Uncovering Bias in LLM Outputs•2 minutes
Hallucinations & Misinformation in Action•2 minutes
7 readings•Total 63 minutes
Foundations of Generative AI•8 minutes
Types and Use Cases of Generative AI•8 minutes
Foundations of Generative Modeling: From GANs to VAEs•10 minutes
From Autoregressive to Diffusion: How Modern Generative Models Took Over•10 minutes
Understanding Large Language Models (LLMs): Capabilities, Providers, and Trends•10 minutes
Understanding Vision-Language Models (VLMs): Capabilities, Use Cases, and Trends•10 minutes
Responsible AI: Risks and Mitigation Strategies•7 minutes
5 assignments•Total 90 minutes
Knowledge Check - What is Generative AI?•15 minutes
Knowledge Check - Generative Model Evolution•15 minutes
Knowledge Check - LLMs & VLMs•15 minutes
Knowledge Check - Ethical AI Deployment•15 minutes
Foundations of Generative AI•30 minutes
2 ungraded labs•Total 105 minutes
Sample from a Simple Generative Model•45 minutes
Sample from a VAE and an Autoregressive Model•60 minutes
Large Language Models (LLMs) & Transformer Architecture
Module 2•5 hours to complete
Module details
Explore the revolutionary transformer architecture that powers today's most advanced language models. You'll gain hands-on experience with self-attention mechanisms, learn how transformers process and generate text, and experiment with fine-tuning using Hugging Face Transformers. This module bridges theory with practical implementation, equipping you with skills to work directly with cutting-edge LLM technology.
What's included
7 videos6 readings4 assignments3 ungraded labs
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 16 minutes
Transformers Made LLMs Possible: Here's Why That Matters•2 minutes
The Problem with RNNs and How Transformers Fix It•4 minutes
Self-Attention, Multi-Head Attention, and Feedforward Networks•3 minutes
Tuning LLM Output with Temperature, Top-k, and Top-p•2 minutes
Accessing LLMs Through APIs and UIs•1 minute
Prompt Engineering: Small Tweaks, Big Results•2 minutes
Fine-Tuning a Transformer with Hugging Face•2 minutes
6 readings•Total 43 minutes
From RNNs to Transformers: A New Way to Process Sequences•8 minutes
Anatomy of Transformers and Their Architectures•4 minutes
Prompt Engineering Essentials: How to Write Better Prompts•10 minutes
Calling LLMs via API: How to Get Started Safely and Effectively•8 minutes
LLM Fine-Tuning Strategies: From Supervised to Aligned•7 minutes
Understanding PEFT and Reinforcement Learning Fine-Tuning•6 minutes
Working with Transformers and Fine-Tuning •30 minutes
3 ungraded labs•Total 160 minutes
Experiment with LLM Sampling Parameters•40 minutes
Prompt and Compare Across LLMs•60 minutes
Perform Lightweight Fine-Tuning with LoRA•60 minutes
Hands-on Applications of LLMs
Module 3•6 hours to complete
Module details
Take your LLM knowledge to the next level with practical applications that power modern AI systems. You'll implement retrieval-augmented generation to enhance responses with external knowledge, use structured output techniques for consistent formatting, and deploy models through APIs. This module tackles both the theory and practice behind modern LLM applications, showing you how to build real-world applications with today's most advanced language models.
What's included
5 videos4 readings5 assignments3 ungraded labs
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 8 minutes
Retrieving Knowledge: Embeddings and Vector Search with FAISS•1 minute
Grounded Generation: Adding Retrieval to an LLM Pipeline•1 minute
Prompting LLMs for Structured Output and Function Simulation•2 minutes
Deploying an LLM Using MLflow and Streamlit Cloud•1 minute
Simulate an AI Agent Using OpenAI Function Calling or Tool Simulation•1 minute
4 readings•Total 37 minutes
What is RAG and Why Does It Matter?•10 minutes
Designing for Structure: Output Formats and Tool Use•10 minutes
LLM Deployment: Options, Challenges, and Best Practices•10 minutes
AI Agents 101: Key Concepts and Applications•7 minutes
Knowledge Check - Structured Output & Function Calls•15 minutes
Knowledge Check - LLM Deployment•15 minutes
Knowledge Check - AI Agents•15 minutes
Hands-on Applications of LLMs•30 minutes
3 ungraded labs•Total 165 minutes
Implement a Simple RAG Pipeline with FAISS and Hugging Face•60 minutes
Prompt LLMs for Structured Output + Simulated Function Use•45 minutes
Deploy a Text Generation Model with Streamlit + MLflow•60 minutes
Diffusion Models
Module 4•5 hours to complete
Module details
Discover the technology behind today's most impressive image generation systems. You'll learn how diffusion models gradually transform random noise into stunning visuals through an iterative denoising process. Through practical coding exercises, you'll implement your own diffusion model using PyTorch, explore Stable Diffusion for text-to-image generation, and compare diffusion with earlier approaches like GANs and VAEs to understand why diffusion has become the dominant paradigm in visual generation.
What's included
4 videos4 readings4 assignments3 ungraded labs
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 10 minutes
Why Diffusion Has Become the Preferred Approach for High-Quality Image Generation•3 minutes
Text-to-Image Generation with Stable Diffusion•1 minute
Exploring Latent Space in Diffusion Models•1 minute
GANs vs. VAEs vs. Diffusion: What Do the Outputs Say?•5 minutes
4 readings•Total 27 minutes
Your First Tiny Diffusion Model: Simulate Diffusion in Pixel Space•6 minutes
The Diffusion Process Explained•7 minutes
Inside Stable Diffusion: Architecture and Prompt Control•7 minutes
Choosing the Right Generative Model: A Comparative Guide•7 minutes
4 assignments•Total 75 minutes
Knowledge Check - Diffusion Basics•15 minutes
Knowledge Check - Training with Stable Diffusion•15 minutes
Knowledge Check - Comparing Models•15 minutes
Diffusion and Generative Model Comparison•30 minutes
3 ungraded labs•Total 165 minutes
Simulate Forward Diffusion on Images Using PyTorch•45 minutes
Generate Custom Images with Stable Diffusion•60 minutes
Compare Outputs from GAN, VAE, and Diffusion Models•60 minutes
Multimodal Generative AI
Module 5•7 hours to complete
Module details
Discover how cutting-edge AI models can integrate text, images, and audio to create truly multimodal experiences. You'll investigate vision-language models like CLIP and BLIP that understand relationships between text and images, implement audio-based AI with Whisper for speech recognition, and gain hands-on experience building systems that can process multiple types of data simultaneously. This module prepares you for the increasingly multimodal future of generative AI where models seamlessly combine different kinds of information.
Coursera brings together a diverse network of subject matter experts who have demonstrated their expertise through professional industry experience or strong academic backgrounds. These instructors design and teach courses that make practical, career-relevant skills accessible to learners worldwide.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Certificate?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.