In DHI Group ─ provider of career marketplace ─ 2024 annual Tech Salary Report, AI and ML skills command a 17.7% salary premium. These findings are based upon 2,800+ tech professionals employed in U.S. With the average annual salary of the respondents being $113,000 that means a $20,000 compensation bump!
I’m drinking my own champagne when it comes to upskilling. I’ve obtained a new certification “Academy Accreditation – Generative AI Fundamentals” from Databricks! Very basic but enjoyable videos. Databricks guides over 60 percent of Fortune companies with data understanding.
If you are looking for free AI and ML certificates from tech industry experts, check these out.
| COURSE NAME | TOPICS | SIGN UP URL | TIME |
| AWS Machine Learning Foundations | ML basics, AWS tools | www.udacity.com/course/aws-machine-learning-foundations–ud065 | 4-6 weeks |
| Databricks Badge: Generative AI Fundamentals | Large Language Model apps, Generative AI success, risks, challenges | https://www.databricks.com/resources/learn/training/generative-ai-fundamentals | 2 hours |
| Google Machine Learning Crash Course | ML fundamentals, TensorFlow framework | https://developers.google.com/machine-learning/crash-course | 15 hours 12 modules |
| Google Cloud AI & Machine Learning | Vertex AI, BigQuery, TensorFlow neural networks | https://cloud.google.com/learn/training/machinelearning-ai | 3-6 months |
| Microsoft First Generative AI Certificate | Generative AI concepts, build AI agent | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/paths/introduction-generative-ai/ | 4 hours |
If your goal is to dig deeper, than I suggest these fee-based courses.
| COURSE NAME | TOPICS | SIGN UP URL | TIME |
| AI for Everyone Certificate | Deep Learning, ML workflow | www.deeplearning.ai/courses/ai-for-everyone | 6 hours 4 modules $49/month |
| Elements of AI Certificate | University of Helsinki | AI basics, ethics, implications with peer review of answers | https://course.elementsofai.com | 30 hours €50 |
| IBM AI Engineering Certificate | Deep learning, neural networks, Natural Language Processing projects | www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/ai-engineer | 4 months 13 courses $49/month |
| Microsoft AI & ML Engineering Professional Certificate | Comprehensive AI tools | www.coursera.org/professional-certificates/microsoft-ai-and-ml-engineering | 6 months $49/month |
| Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Fundamentals | AI/ML concepts with related Azure services | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/azure-ai-fundamentals | 13 hours $99 |
And for those of you seeking a university-based certificate, this is what my virtual assistant Microsoft Copilot determined.
| University Certification | Cost | Registration Timeline | Top 2 Benefits | Virtual Availability |
| Stanford University AI Graduate Certificate | $4,200 | Multiple start dates per year 1-2 years | Deep dive into AI principles and methodologies Access to Stanford’s AI research network | 100% online, on-demand & live sessions |
| MIT Sloan AI for Business Leaders | $3,500 | Quarterly 6 weeks | Practical applications for AI in business strategy Exposure to AI-driven leadership frameworks | Self-paced online format, interactive videos & discussion forums |
| Oxford University AI Programme | £2,900 ~$3,600 | Spring and Fall 6 weeks | Global AI insights from Oxford faculty Access to Oxford’s extensive AI research community | Fully online, 6-week expert-led sessions |
| UC Berkeley AI Strategies & Applications | $2,800 | Annual enrollment, early Spring 2 months | Focus on AI implementation for enterprise solutions Hands-on projects with AI apps | Online program, live & pre-recorded sessions |
My advice is to select one of these certificates and focus on completing within the next 30/60/90 days. Because you deserve a 17.7% compensation bump!