Real-world examples of low-cost training

Interested in a career in #AIgovernance but don’t know where to start?   You’re not alone. Three people reached out last week looking for advice (and lots more have over time).   In my opinion, it starts with building a demonstrable foundation of knowledge.   And the good news is that high-quality, low-cost training is readily available.   Here’s a list of the best courses under $100 from leading companies and schools to get you started.👇   (Tomorrow I’ll share a list of non-profit organizations that you can volunteer with to start putting your AI knowledge into action.)   Google 🔗 Introduction to Responsible AI: https://lnkd.in/ebDADGKK (1 hr) 🔗 Responsible AI – Applying AI Principles: https://lnkd.in/ex-wmeqX (1 hr) 🔗 Responsible AI for Developers: https://lnkd.in/eMucsQRu (11 hrs) Microsoft 🔗 Ethical & Regulatory Implications of GenAI: https://lnkd.in/e8NuxKF8 (3 hrs)   IBM 🔗 Impact, Ethics & Issues with GenAI: https://lnkd.in/eHegg55E (3 hrs)   University of Helsinki 🔗 Ethics of AI: https://lnkd.in/ejvu4bdv (2 hrs) Michigan 🔗 GenAI: Governance, Policy & Emerging Regulation: https://lnkd.in/eZnx7zPH (2 hrs)   Penn 🔗 AI Strategy & Governance: https://lnkd.in/eyp_PtxU (9 hrs)   Northeastern 🔗 Ethics & Governance in the Age of GenAI: https://lnkd.in/eN7D8eBY (23 hrs)   LinkedIn Learning 🔗 Foundations of Responsible AI: https://lnkd.in/eXcFpa_w (2.5 hrs) 🔗 Building a Responsible AI Program: https://lnkd.in/eEN_MhiH (1.5 hrs) 🔗 Understanding & Implementing the NIST AI Risk Management Framework: https://lnkd.in/eEZUu6Xp (1.5 hrs) 🔗 Navigating the EU AI Act: https://lnkd.in/eu7YSQKd (1.5 hrs) 🔗 The State of AI & Copyright: https://lnkd.in/epNyhAHJ (1 hr) 🔗 Introduction to Auditing AI Systems: https://lnkd.in/ePX8XCVP (1.5 hrs) 🔗 Algorithmic Auditing & Continuous Monitoring: https://lnkd.in/eCwaYuyk (1 hr)   🔗 Managing AI Security Risks with ISO 27001: https://lnkd.in/ezkBdiYd (1.5 hrs)

Yesterday we had a great session in the Talent Development Think Tank job search group on upskilling on a budget. It's critical to make sure you're skilling up and staying relevant in the marketplace so you're competitive with other jobseekers. 1️⃣ 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧. To determine the skills you need most, identify 5-7 of your ideal roles. See what the most common skills are for each role, and focus on those. Some of these may be completely new skills to you, and others may be just sharpening the axe on skills you already have. 2️⃣ 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝. When's the last time you've been to your local library? Beyond the standard checking out books for free, libraries have other resources that can help jobseekers. In many areas, your library card will get you access to LinkedIn Learning courses and Libby. LI Learning regularly adds new, relevant courses from industry experts. You can search by topic/skill to hone in on the courses you should be taking. Libby is an app that lets you download ebooks and audiobooks from your local library. So that giant book list you've been wanting to tackle is now doable for no cost. Bonus tip from a group member: Another great resource to get low cost ebooks and audio books is the Kindle Unlimited membership through Amazon which is $12/month, but has more and different offerings than the library or Libby. 3️⃣ 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. Podcasts, e-conferences, webinars, articles, and more. There's no shortage of free content available. Focus on industry leaders or vendors, and see what content they have available. 4️⃣ 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. For many, the best way to learn, is by doing. Often times, non profits or trade organizations will let you volunteer and try your hand at something new, even if you have limited experience. All experience is relevant, regardless of whether it was paid or unpaid. Use volunteering as a way to step outside your comfort zone and try new things. Register through Catchafire to be connected to nonprofits looking for volunteers or get involved with the local chapter of your professional trade organization. What other ways have you upskilled on a budget? #learninganddevelopment #upskilling #training #talentdevelopment

Why do many educators and schools think attending a conference is the only type of professional development (PD)? The big drawback of conferences is that they’re cost-inefficient and train only a few staff who attend. Even if the returning staff “train” colleagues back home, the quality and value are doubtful since they’re not expert practitioners about it. Besides, many schools cannot afford to send even one staff member to a conference. Below are seven easy and inexpensive alternative types of PD that won’t break the bank and still allow for high-quality learning. 1️⃣. Books are my favorite PD source. I love to binge-read several books on complementary topics. Compacted learning like that is incredibly impactful. 2️⃣. Organize a book study with co-workers. With the abundance of eBooks, it’s easy to download a book worldwide to read and discuss together weekly or biweekly. My favorite time doing this was a two-year book study over breakfast with fellow administrators, reading several terrific works. 3️⃣. Online webinars. Explore LinkedIn and other online sources to find some. 4️⃣. Coursera offers free or low-cost courses on all kinds of topics. 5️⃣. Mutual peer observations with teachers in your school. It’s a good chance to see a fellow teacher practicing their craft. I wish it were more common. I didn’t see another teacher teach until I became a principal and evaluated teachers. 6️⃣. Site visits to a nearby school. This allows for job-like conversations to share dilemmas and solutions.   7️⃣. Schools can invest in a modest membership so staff can choose from numerous high-quality online PD trainings by experts through services such as EduSpark. I have long self-directed my PD, occasionally a conference, but mostly using methods like those above. What types of alternative PD opportunities have you enjoyed in the last year?  

Cut Training Costs by 70%. AI Avatars for Scalable Impact. Large-scale partner training, especially in regulated environments, often struggles with consistency and cost. Traditional methods are slow and fail to engage modern learners. The Endeavor Report showcases how the State of New Mexico MVD revolutionized its approach. Facing inconsistent knowledge across 300+ business partners and costly manual training, they sought a modern solution. Their answer: an AI-powered, video-based training system featuring avatars and automated multilingual support. This dramatically increased training efficiency and accessibility for non-English speakers. The outcome? A nearly 70% reduction in training costs. Learners overwhelmingly preferred video, and the model proved scalable for other government entities, even yielding unexpected benefits for call center operations. This is just one of many practical, evidence-based applications found within The Endeavor Report. Explore all 8 case studies and download your free copy here: https://lnkd.in/eD52xZ5P #AppliedAI #TheEndeavorReport #GovernmentTech

🔍 How can we teach robotic surgery effectively, without expensive simulators or high-tech labs? In a field often dominated by costly VR systems and proprietary devices, our latest study—published in the Journal of Robotic Surgery—shows that affordable, low-tech dry-lab models can still drive high-impact robotic training. 🟠 Using simple tools like an orange or a catheter-balloon, we developed and validated performance metrics to teach core robotic skills: 🔹 Dissection 🔹 Suturing 🔹 Knot-tying 🔹 Vesicourethral anastomosis What makes this work unique? ✅ Based on proficiency-based progression (PBP) training ✅ Validated by Delphi consensus among international robotic experts ✅ Scalable to congress workshops, training centers, and underserved regions ✅ Designed for objective, reproducible, and cost-effective skill acquisition These models can democratize robotic training, allowing institutions worldwide—regardless of budget—to prepare the next generation of robotic surgeons. 🧠 If you're involved in surgical education, simulation, or robotics, I invite you to read this open-access study and consider integrating these tools into your curriculum. 👉 Full article: https://lnkd.in/eA2hkGHE #RoboticSurgery #SurgicalEducation #PBP #Innovation #DryLab #MedicalTraining #ERUS #YAU #GlobalSurgery Gabriele Sorce Marco Paciotti Christoph Würnschimmel Mike Wenzel Carlo Andrea Bravi Ruben De Groote Paolo Dell'Oglio Filippo Turri Danny Darlington Carbin Ahmed Eraky Nikolaos Liakos Anthony G Gallagher Alberto Breda Alessandro Larcher