Training Roundup: 8 AI Courses for Marketers Worth Taking a Look At
Beyond learning on the job, or the endless personal experimentation we’re all no doubt doing, if you want to get some seriously formal training on marketing and AI, where do you start?
Here’s a quick roundup of 8 of the more popular, at least judging by word of mouth and online mentions.
The Foundations
AI for Everyone by Andrew Ng (deeplearning.ai)
If you're going to take one course, start here. Andrew Ng cuts through the noise and explains what AI actually is, what it can and can't do, and how to think about AI strategy. It's non-technical, which is the point. You don't need to code to lead AI initiatives. You need to understand the fundamentals well enough to make smart decisions. 4 weeks, a few hours per week. Just do it.
Artificial Intelligence in Marketing (University of Virginia - Coursera)
This is where theory meets marketing practice. UVA Darden's course walks through AI applications specific to marketing—from customer segmentation to predictive analytics. It's academic but applied. Good for building a mental framework of where AI fits in your marketing stack. Roughly 4 weeks of commitment.
The Deep Dives
Advanced Certificate in Digital Marketing and AI (Kellogg Northwestern)
This is the heavyweight option. Kellogg's program is comprehensive—covering AI strategy, implementation, and measurement across digital marketing. It's also expensive and time-intensive (several months). But if you're serious about transformation and want a structured curriculum with a brand-name credential, this delivers. Best for marketing leaders who need to drive organization-wide change.
AI In Digital Marketing Course (Digital Marketing Institute)
DMI's course is practitioner-focused. Less theory, more "here's how to use these tools." Covers content creation, ad optimization, customer experience—the tactical stuff your team needs to know this quarter. 100% online, self-paced. Good for getting your team operational quickly.
The Specialists
IBM AI Developer Professional Certificate (Coursera)
This one's different—it's for the technical side of your team. If you have marketers who want to go deeper into building AI solutions (not just using them), this teaches Python, machine learning basics, and Watson AI. It's a longer commitment but creates genuine technical capability in-house.
Wharton Executive Education - Emeritus Online Courses (Wharton/Emeritus)
Wharton offers several AI-focused executive programs through Emeritus. These are cohort-based, live sessions with Wharton faculty. Higher price point, but you're paying for the interaction, the network, and the Wharton brand. If executive education is already part of your development budget, this is a smart allocation.
The Resources
Not a course, but essential. MAII is the best aggregator of marketing AI news, tools, and frameworks. Their blog, podcast, and events are how I stay current. Subscribe to their newsletter. You'll learn more from their weekly updates than most courses.
Become A Digital Marketer (Udacity)
Udacity's nanodegree includes AI components within broader digital marketing training. It's project-based, which means you build actual campaigns. Good for mid-level marketers who need both foundational digital skills and AI exposure. 3-4 months, self-paced.
Closing Thought
The problem with structured training courses like these is obvious: the tech is moving so fast that how can any formal course keep up, stay fresh and relevant? It’s an open, and fair question, and one where I think the jury is still very much out, but I wanted to highlight a few courses at least worth taking a look at.
As always however, encourage your teams (and push yourself) to learn by doing. Experiment endlessly, vibe code until you break things!
