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Quick jump through the newsletter:

1. Learning online has never been so easy. 

2. Video-making app that even Gen Z likes

3. News and updates on AI in the first 2 quarters of 2024

4. Collectable “Like Magic AI” NFT

Learning online has never been so easy. 

If you are not Gen Z, you probably remember the days when you had to find a close school or course that you wanted to take and go there to enroll in it. Well, those days are gone for quite a long time. Yeah, you can search the web and try to find videos and tutorials on stuff that you are interested in, but you can also join some famous and popular online learning platforms and try out and finish specific courses. One of those is Coursera. Pretty popular is an online learning platform offering a wide range of courses from top universities and companies. Whether you're looking to brush up on old skills or learn something entirely new, Coursera may be the perfect course for you. 

Sign-Up Process:

Signing up for Coursera is so easy. Visit Coursera website and click "Join for Free."

1. Create an account using your email address or social media login.

2. After you are logged in, you can personalize your experience and get the most out of Coursera. 

3. Browse the course catalog and find a course that interests you.

4. Choose between auditing the course for free or enrolling for a fee.

Content and Learning:

• Variety: Coursera has a massive library of courses in various fields, from data science and computer science to business, arts, and personal development. There are individual courses, Specializations (series of courses on a specific topic), and even Professional Certificate programs.

• Quality: Partnering with Ivy league places like  Yale, Stanford and even Google, Coursera ensures high-quality content. The lectures are well-produced, and the instructors are experts in their fields.

• Flexibility: Coursera offers a flexible learning experience. You can learn at your own pace, with pre-recorded video lectures, quizzes, and graded assignments (depending on the course).

• Freemium Model: Coursera has a freemium model. You can enroll in most courses for free, meaning you get access to the video lectures and course materials. However, you may not receive graded assignments or a certificate of completion. But if you are just hungry for knowledge, this is a great start.

Cons:

• Paid Enrollments: You must enroll in the course to receive graded assignments, quizzes, and a certificate. Individual course prices vary, typically ranging from $39 to $99.

• Engagement: The platform might lack the real-time interaction you get in a traditional classroom setting that you might expect. 

Case study: 

We wanted to try out what Coursera has to offer. And it has a huge variety of courses. We decided to take one that is free: “Use Canva to Create Desktop and Mobile-friendly Web Pages”. As you can see, it is a beginner-level course, and more than 70,000 people have completed it. We choose that in the section “Learn a new skill in 2 hours”. After reading the intro about the course, we dived into it. We choose to have a split screen so you can learn step by step with the tutor. We finished the 2 hours of learning and learned a lot. We did have some previous knowledge of Canva, but this course was quite good. It took step by step, and it is great for beginners. It also taught us about the advantages and disadvantages of Canva making websites. After the course, Coursera offered us to take a quiz. To pass it you have to have at least 80% answers. After we complete the course, we can see it in our accomplishments and even post it on Linkedin. 

How to become AI master with Cursera?

To become a master in AI, consider a structured learning path that includes a combination of foundational, intermediate, and advanced courses. Here's LikeMagicAI.com selection of courses:

Foundational Courses

1. AI For Everyone by DeepLearning.AI

   • Instructor: Andrew Ng

   • Description: A beginner-friendly course that introduces AI concepts and their impact on various industries.

   • Duration: 10 hours

   • Skills: AI terminology, impact of AI on society

   • Course Link

2. Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) by IBM

   • Description: Covers fundamental AI concepts and applications.

   • Duration: 8 hours

   • Skills: AI ethics, machine learning basics, applications of AI

   • Course Link

3. Machine Learning by DeepLearning.AI

   • Description: Comprehensive introduction to machine learning.

   • Duration: 1-3 months

   • Skills: Machine learning algorithms, applied machine learning, Python programming

   • Course Link

Intermediate Courses

1. Deep Learning Specialization by DeepLearning.AI

   • Description: A deep dive into neural networks and deep learning.

   • Duration: 3-6 months

   • Skills: Neural networks, deep learning, TensorFlow, computer vision, natural language processing

   • Course Link

2. AI Engineering Professional Certificate by IBM

   • Description: Focuses on applying AI techniques in engineering.

   • Duration: 3-6 months

   • Skills: Machine learning, deep learning, AI engineering practices

   • Course Link

3. Introduction to Generative AI by Google Cloud

   • Description: Basics of generative AI, including tools and applications.

   • Duration: 1-4 weeks

   • Skills: Generative AI, ethical AI practices

   • Course Link

Advanced Courses

1. Generative AI for Everyone by DeepLearning.AI

   • Description: Detailed exploration of generative AI models and their applications.

   • Duration: 1-4 weeks

   • Skills: Generative models, practical AI applications

   • Course Link

2. Generative AI with Large Language Models by DeepLearning.AI

   • Description: In-depth study of large language models in generative AI.

   • Duration: Varies

   • Skills: Advanced language models, AI applications

   • Course Link

3. Advanced Machine Learning and Signal Processing by IBM

   • Description: Focuses on advanced machine learning techniques and signal processing.

   • Duration: 1-3 months

   • Skills: Advanced machine learning, signal processing

   • Course Link

By following this structured path, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of AI, from foundational concepts to advanced applications. This approach not only covers theoretical knowledge but also includes practical skills and hands-on projects that are crucial for mastering AI.

Overall

Coursera is a really good platform for online learning. The extensive course library, flexible format, and quality content make it one of the best resources for anyone looking to expand their knowledge and skills. We love the fact that there are so many different courses to take for free. Great thing when you are on the budget but want to learn more. Online learning is such a great thing in our book. We will definitely stay on Coursera for quite some time. Thumbs up, all the way. 

Video-making app that even Gen Z likes

If you want to save time and make cute and interesting social media videos, TopviewAI is an app you can try out. It is a free, AI-powered media creation suite that allows you to easily generate videos, realistic voiceovers, and more from various sources. We read some articles stating that this is one of the easiest video apps on the market, and it is free. So we jumped right at it to try it for you! Here’s what we found.

Key Features:

• Media to Video: Transform your existing photos, videos, and scripts into polished videos.

• Hook to Video: Grab attention from the start with a captivating viral hook for your video.

• Link to Video: Generate high-engagement marketing videos simply by providing a product link.

• Script to Video: Breathe life into your detailed text descriptions by converting them into videos.

• TikTok Downloader: Download video ads from TikTok for free 

Case scenario

After signing up, Topview was quite easy to navigate. We decided to try out features Materials to Video. We wanted to make a video about aquaponics smart urban gardens that can help you grow your own food. We gave it basic info about what aquaponics and the whole system are, a short video, and only 2 images. It warned us that the material was short, but we insisted that it does the video with the material that we provided.

Soon enough, it gave three short video ideas. The first was with a rhetorical question to grab interest, the second one was a relatable scenario, and the third one was deliberate irony. We really liked the ideas that TopviewAI provided. 

You can play around with different options, create multiple videos, and see what works best.

We tried out different options, customized subtitles, and played with different voiceovers, and overall, we really liked how TopviewAI made us cute and fun videos. We tried another one, but this time, we wanted to make a video about likemagicai.com. We gave TopviewAI some short clips from Canva and some pretty basic info about our newsletter.

Pros:

• Completely free to use and really easy to use.

• Wide range of video creation options from various sources (text, scripts, images, links)

• Includes a unique feature for downloading TikTok ads (be sure to follow local regulations)

• It gives you ideas about what is hot on social media right now and a list of best viral hooks at this moment. 

Cons:

• Lacks advanced options for image and text-to-video generation

Overall:

TopviewAI is a great option for anyone looking to create engaging videos quickly and easily with just a few clicks. With its free plan and user-friendly interface, it's a breeze to get started and unleash your creativity. While it may not offer the most advanced features for image and text-to-video generation, it is still a cool and easy tool for anyone in content creation. It is 4.5 out of 5 for us. 

News and updates on AI in the first 2 quarters of 2024

As of 2024, the state of AI is marked by significant advancements and widespread adoption across various sectors. We bring you some of the key highlights you might have missed and links to read more about it:

1. Generative AI Growth: Generative AI continues to be a dominant force, with significant improvements in the quality and capabilities of AI-generated content. Companies like Runway are developing advanced generative video models, and top studios are integrating generative AI into their production pipelines for tasks like lip-syncing and special effects​ (MIT Technology Review)​.

2. Regulation and Compliance: With AI's increasing influence, regulatory scrutiny has intensified. The European Union and the United States have been actively working on AI regulations, focusing on ethical use and compliance. This trend is expected to shape the legal and social landscape of AI in 2024​ (Unite.AI)​​ (McKinsey & Company)​.

3. Multimodal AI: The rise of multimodal AI, which allows interaction through various forms of input such as text, images, and speech, is a notable development. Google's Gemini and OpenAI's GPT-4 are leading this innovation, providing more intuitive and versatile AI systems​ (Unite.AI)​.

4. Impact on Industries: AI's impact on industries such as healthcare, finance, and cybersecurity is profound. AI-driven tools are being used for everything from diagnosing diseases to enhancing security measures against sophisticated cyber threats. In marketing, AI-generated deepfakes are becoming a tool for creating realistic avatars and training simulations​ (MIT Technology Review)​​ (AI Index)​.

5. Challenges and Risks: Despite the advancements, AI poses challenges, particularly in the realm of misinformation and deepfakes, which are increasingly sophisticated and harder to detect. This is particularly concerning in the context of elections and public opinion manipulation​ (MIT Technology Review)​​ (AI Index)​.

6. Business Adoption and Value Generation: Businesses are increasingly adopting AI to drive value, with a small group of high performers leading the way. The technology is providing measurable benefits in efficiency and innovation across various sectors​ (McKinsey & Company)​.

Keep yourself up to date with AI advancements, and don’t let this industry revolution slip between your fingers. AI is the most significant business change that will happen over the course of our lives. Grab it by its pu…!

Like Magic AI NFT 🏞️

Our master plan is to publish an NFT image in each newsletter and hand it out to our subscribers. The earlier you subscribe, the smaller the series are. It's a future collectible, a piece of digital art that captures the essence of this moment in time.

Thank you for being a valued subscriber. Together, let's embrace the magic of AI and creativity!

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