Introduction to Generative AI
How the magic works (spoiler: it's math).
What generative AI actually is, how large language models really work, why they sometimes lie with confidence, and how to pick the right model for the job. Real-world examples, zero jargon-gatekeeping.
Beginner · about 37 min · earn the AI Initiate badge
Start Course →Syllabus
Module 1: The Big Picture
- What Is Generative AI, Really?AI that creates things, and why that's different from AI that sorts things.
- A Very Short History of AIFrom perceptrons to ChatGPT in one caffeinated lesson.
- Fancy Autocomplete: How LLMs WorkNext-token prediction, explained with zero math anxiety.
- Tokens: The LEGO Bricks of AIHow models chop your words into pieces. See it live.
Module 2: Under the Hood
- Training vs InferenceCooking school vs cooking dinner: how models learn and how they answer.
- Beyond Text: Images, Audio & VideoGenerative AI's other talents, from art to voice clones.
- Hallucinations: When AI Confidently LiesWhy models make things up and how to catch them doing it.
- Context Windows & MemoryWhat the model remembers, what it forgets, and why.
Module 3: AI in the Wild
- Generative AI in the WildSupport desks, coding copilots, medicine, art: where it's actually used.
- Ethics, Bias & SafetyThe serious stuff: bias, misuse, and building AI responsibly.
- Choosing a ModelGPT vs Claude vs Gemini vs open source: picking the right tool.
- Capstone: Prove Your AI ChopsThe final quiz: earn your AI Initiate badge.
Introduction to Generative AI: common questions
- Is Introduction to Generative AI free?
- Yes. All 12 lessons are free to read in full, with no paywall, no trial and no card. You do not have to sign up to take it, and your progress saves in your own browser.
- How long does Introduction to Generative AI take?
- About 37 minutes in total, across 12 lessons of roughly three to five minutes each. You do not have to do it in one sitting: it remembers where you stopped.
- Do I need any experience to take Introduction to Generative AI?
- No. Introduction to Generative AI starts from the beginning and assumes no experience with AI and no coding. If you can use a web browser, you can do it.
- What do I get for finishing Introduction to Generative AI?
- The AI Initiate badge, and a free printable certificate of completion. LearnWithZavi is not accredited, so the certificate is a record that you finished the lessons rather than a formal qualification, and it says so on the certificate itself.
- What does Introduction to Generative AI cover?
- What generative AI actually is, how large language models really work, why they sometimes lie with confidence, and how to pick the right model for the job. Real-world examples, zero jargon-gatekeeping. It is organised into 3 modules: The Big Picture, Under the Hood, AI in the Wild.