Is AI Hard to Learn?

Contrary to the popular misconception, AI isn’t complicated or hard to learn. But you must have a knack for programming, mathematics, and statistics to grasp the fundamental concepts. These skills will empower you to analyse data, develop efficient algorithms, and implement AI models.

AI is all about empowering machines to comprehend data and make informed decisions. This technology is now everywhere — from restaurants, hospitals, online streaming services, and whatnot. In fact, Next Move Strategy Consulting predicts the value of the global AI market to increase from US $100 billion to nearly $2 trillion by 2030. 

Once you excel in any AI domain, you can explore numerous options to kickstart your professional career. So, let’s explore more about AI and how you can master your skills.

Is AI Hard to Learn?

With essential knowledge and skills, artificial intelligence isn’t hard to learn. But sometimes, it can be, mainly because technology is evolving so fast that it becomes hard to catch up with the latest trends. 

In fact, statistics found that 93% of automation technologies aren’t confident about encountering recurring smart machine challenges. That’s almost the entire workforce! 

So, is AI hard to learn? Not really, but people may get intimidated by its complexity and mechanism. But once you get into the depth, you will know that things aren’t as scary, and AI is actually pretty easy to learn. 

Here are some things that you must excel in to understand AI easily:

Programming Proficiency

AI works on algorithms and data learning. To develop and implement these models on computers, you must learn programming languages (R, Python, or MATLAB) and coding skills. These skills help you analyse and manipulate data to make informed decisions that meet clients’ expectations.

Learning programming languages and coding isn’t a cup of tea for everyone. Each language has distinct syntax and structure, making it hard for beginners to get a hang on. But if you’re determined to learn them, it’s not that difficult. 

Start with the basics and make your way up to advanced languages—things will eventually fall into place!

Data Handling

Gathering, handling, and analysing data are the core of AI functions. All the AI models need accurate and well-preprocessed data to work, and doing so requires the expertise of a professional. An AI expert handles the missing values and deals with the outliers, which may seem intimidating to beginners. 

AI algorithms also rely on statistics and mathematics. People who can’t understand calculus, algebra, probability, etc., find AI quite hard to learn. But in reality, these things aren’t as tricky. You just need proper guidance and practice for data handling, and nothing will seem as complicated as before.

Understanding New Trends

AI has evolved a lot in the past few years and will continue to do so in the future as well. Every day, we see a new technique or framework emerging, which makes it challenging to keep up with the pace. 

Staying up-to-date with new methodologies is very important for an AI practitioner. AI consists of various concepts from different fields, including data science, computer science, programming, mathematics, etc. Understanding these theories can be difficult for many people, especially those with a non-tech background. 

But learning them is essential, or how would you know which algorithm would resolve a specific problem? That’s why enrolling in a quality AI course is essential. You can also connect with AI experts or mentors for better guidance throughout your learning journey.

How To Learn AI Efficiently?

You can easily learn AI with proper courses and certifications. Choose a domain that interests you, find relevant resources online, and learn the skill. Once well-versed, you can start applying for entry-level jobs in the AI industry. 

In five to six months, you can learn basic concepts like data science, NLP applications, Artificial Neural Networks, etc. However, advanced methodologies, such as reinforcement learning, deep learning, and machine learning, may take longer. 

If you’re enrolled in a course, your learning duration will depend on the program’s length and your learning capabilities. But how can you start learning AI? 

Here are the necessary steps to get started:

Start With the Basics

Whether you want to become a data scientist or AI researcher, you must build a strong foundation before stepping into the field. Start learning some basic skills, including:

• Python. Python is one of the most-used programming languages for simple to advanced tasks. It is relatively easy to learn too. Excelling in Python will enable you to develop and implement AI algorithms appropriately. 

• Beginner Level Machine Learning. You should also acknowledge yourself with the machine learning basics. It will help you understand easy to complex AI algorithms. 

• Statistics, Probability, and Maths. Collecting and interpreting data requires familiarity with statistics, probability, and maths. So, learn all the theories in these domains to prepare yourself for working with new and complex data structures. 

• Natural Language Processing (NLP). NLP enables computers to imitate human speech by processing the provided text data. It is an essential branch of AI that you must get the hang of initially. 

• Problem-Solving. The field of AI is all about finding solutions to different issues. Whether resolving a bug or handling missing values in a data set, you must be well-equipped with the issue’s cause and find its solution accordingly. Try to solve a real-world problem with your AI skills. 

• Continuous Learning. AI requires constant learning, so you must have the persistence and dedication to do so. You must know the recent techniques used to acquire data and transform it into action. Having command over logical inferences and decision-making would also be a plus point. 

• Testing and Self-Correction. Developing AI algorithms and models demands continuous improvements. You must know how to perform accurate tests and make improvement changes to yield optimised results. 

Once you build a strong base, you can then move on to gaining hands-on experience.

Enrol in an AI Course

If you’re still unsure about your capabilities for learning AI, you can be confident by enrolling in an AI course. You can find many online courses for different domains, including machine learning, data science, robotic science, AI research, and more. But make sure to choose a quality lesson prepared by industry experts. 

If enrolling in every course separately seems tedious, you can join a comprehensive AI course like the one at UCD Professional Academy. This course includes various lessons to give you strategic and operational insights on AI integration into organisations. It is ideal for people with different experience levels. You don’t also need prior coding skills to enrol in this course!

A quality course will prepare you for advanced, hands-on projects with thorough guidance and mentorship. It will be about time you will bag your first AI job.

Upcoming AI courses

Check out our upcoming Artificial Intelligence and related courses.

Practice

Practice is essential when learning AI skills. After acquiring the necessary skills, there is only one thing between you and your dream job—gaining experience to build a strong portfolio. Once you’ve completed the course, you should start finding and working on projects to implement your learning. 

It will also help you refine your skills. For example, you can practise writing code and see how it works for your goals. You may also be given real-life problems during your course, which you can only solve with thorough practice.

FAQs

Why Is Learning AI So Hard?

Learning AI can seem so hard because the industry includes a diverse range of concepts and phenomena. You will deal with complex mathematical algorithms, large data sets, and programming languages. 

Understanding all these things at once can be tedious, but starting with the basics and making your way up to advanced skills will make it easier. AI isn’t hard to learn when you learn it the right way!

Can I Learn AI Without Coding?

You can learn AI without prior coding knowledge through online resources and courses. But you will have to learn coding later if you want to excel in the industry. It’s crucial to develop, design, and implement AI algorithms and models into computers. 

Does AI Require Maths?

AI requires you to be good in maths, primarily linear algebra, probability, and calculus. You must excel in this subject to better analyse and interpret data to make informed decisions. Maths is necessary to become an AI expert. 

How Long Does It Take To Learn Artificial Intelligence?

Learning AI skills can take 6 to 12 months, depending on your learning capability, knowledge, and experience. 

Conclusion

AI can be difficult if you’re just stepping into the industry. However, with sheer determination and focus, you can quickly grasp the basic and advanced concepts through online resources, courses, and mentorship. You can also sit with like-minded people or talk to them online to learn about their challenges and experience. 

It’s also recommended to seek help from AI experts and professionals already working in the industry. They will help you cope with the challenges and answer your questions. AI will seem easier and simpler when you will see things with a clear mind.

You can also enrol in an online AI course to connect with industry experts. The AI course at UCD Professional Academy will give you deeper insights into the implications of AI in the business world. By the end, you’ll be working on real-life projects to prepare yourself to secure your dream job!

Sounds easy? Enrol in the UCD Professional Academy’s AI course today to get started!