Lanham, Md., and San Francisco, Calif. – May 1, 2023 – edX, a leading global online learning platform from 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU), today announced a new partnership with global data and AI leader Databricks to launch a Large Language Models (LLMs) Professional Certificate program, the first of its kind on edX.org. This program is designed to equip developers, data scientists, and engineers with the applied knowledge and skills needed to understand the foundational technology behind recent advancements in artificial intelligence, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Databricks’ Dolly. Through dynamic lectures, demos, and hands-on labs taught by industry leaders and renowned researchers—such as Matei Zaharia, co-founder and chief technologist at Databricks and computer science professor at Stanford University—students will learn how to develop and productionize LLM applications.
Comprising two courses, LLMs: Application through Production and LLMs: Foundation Models from the Ground Up, this Professional Certificate program provides a comprehensive overview of the latest frameworks, techniques, and foundation models used in the field of LLMs. By the end of the program, learners will have built their own end-to-end LLM workflows that are ready for production. These courses add to edX's catalog of more than 4,200 online learning experiences developed in partnership with the world's top universities and corporations, from free courses to full degrees.
“With the recent advancements in generative AI, there is an urgency for organizations to leverage LLMs in their own products and applications. This has led to an increased demand for professionals with necessary knowledge and skills related to language models,” said Patrick Wendell, co-founder and VP of engineering at Databricks. "Our LLM-focused program taught by leading experts on the edX platform is an important step in meeting that demand while broadening access to the critical skills that professionals need to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.”
According to Esmi Burning Glass, the number of U.S. job postings requiring AI skills will increase nearly 300% between 2022 and 2024, and a survey by Gartner found that over 50% of corporate leaders see AI as a priority to help them stay ahead of competitors. The new LLM Professional Certificate program from Databricks on edX will enable professionals around the world to build and productionize innovative solutions to natural language processing problems and help elevate their careers.
"The demand for professionals skilled in machine learning and AI will continue to grow as automation technology continues to advance at breakneck speed,” said Andrew Hermalyn, president of partnerships at 2U, the parent company of edX. “edX is thrilled to partner with Databricks to help address the current market gap by equipping more learners around the world with the necessary skills to succeed in this fast-growing field.”
Professional Certificate programs on edX are designed to build and enhance critical professional skills needed to succeed in today's most in-demand fields. Learners who complete the Databricks LLM Professional Certificate program will earn a program certificate that showcases their knowledge and skills, which they can include on their resumes.
The program is open for enrollment now for courses set to begin in Summer 2023. The Databricks LLM Professional Certificate program is free to try for all learners. Like edX, Databricks is committed to expanding access to education, especially in the highly relevant, in-demand field of AI.
About Databricks
Databricks is the data and AI company. More than 9,000 organizations worldwide—including Comcast, Condé Nast, and over 50% of the Fortune 500—rely on the Databricks Lakehouse Platform to unify their data, analytics, and AI. Databricks is headquartered in San Francisco with offices around the globe. Founded by the original creators of Apache Spark™, Delta Lake, and MLflow, Databricks is on a mission to help data teams solve the world’s toughest problems. To learn more, follow Databricks on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
