The AI in Marketing Certificate is tailored to individuals who possess a fundamental understanding of marketing principles and data analysis skills, who now need to add understanding of AI and its capabilities to their skillset. Without sounding too flippant, that is almost everyone in the marketing industry.
 

• Marketing professionals looking to take their skills to the next level
• Entrepreneurs seeking new growth opportunities
• Career changers
• Those curious about the emerging field of AI and its application in marketing

This is not a course that requires prior coding experience. The weekly assignments are leveled according to ability and interest because this course is designed to cater to everyone. We'll take you on an exciting journey, where you will discover how AI works, which problems it can solve, and where it's applicable. We will show you how to use AI effectively and ethically in your business environment, without the need for any coding skills. Our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and confidence to unlock the full potential of AI in marketing.

Here's what you'll experience in this course:

• Explore the exciting possibilities of using AI to elevate your marketing strategies to new heights.
• Discover the different forms of AI and how they can be integrated into your marketing approach for maximum impact.
• Get your hands dirty with practical exercises, enabling you to dip your toes into the world of AI before tackling more advanced topics in the future.

It's an immersive and empowering journey that will leave you feeling energized and ready to revolutionize your marketing game.

Week 1: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in Marketing

• AI and ML concepts and terminology (major players, foundation models, history of AI, deep learning, neural networks)
• Supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning
• Common ML algorithms and their applications
• AI-driven marketing strategies
•  Personalization and automation
• Examples of AI-powered marketing campaigns

o   Hands-on exercise: Large Language Models (LLM) and local LLMs

Week 2: Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Marketing

• NLP concepts and techniques (tokenization, context windows, content moderation)
• Introduction to chatbots and conversational AI (foundation models, training, alignment, Retrieval-Augmented Generation)
• Prompt engineering (zero-shot, single-shot, few-shot, step-by-step, chain-of-thought, role, temperature, and more)
• AI-generated content (headlines, captions, slogans, summaries)
• AI-optimized content for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), readability, engagement, and conversion
• Use cases in marketing and customer support
• How NLP is used in marketing

o   Hands-on exercise: Using generative A.I. to market a product or service

 Week 3: Generative Imagery, Data Visualization, and Social Media

• Generative imagery (major players, Low-Rank Adaption, copyright, provenance, ethics, prompts, recipes, and seeds)
• Generative video (text to video, image to video, video to video)
• Data visualization basics
• How data visualization is used in marketing
• Case studies of data visualization-powered marketing campaigns
• Social media marketing strategies
• AI-driven content discovery and scheduling

o   Hands-on exercise:  generative imagery and video

Week 4: AI-Powered Marketing Automation

• Email marketing strategies
• Automation (agents, integration, extensions, plugins, browsers, app creation)
• AI-driven personalization and content generation
• Recommendation systems basics
• How recommendation systems are used in marketing
• Case studies of recommendation systems-powered marketing campaigns

o   Hands-on exercise: AI app creation tools

Week 5: Data Governance, Privacy, and Ethics In AI Marketing

• Importance of ethical AI in marketing (principles, institutes, model transparency, sustainability, carbon footprint)
• Data privacy and security concerns (alignment, adversarial AI, disinformation, prompt injections, data exfiltration)
• Responsible use of customer data
• Bias and fairness in AI-driven marketing strategies
• Emerging trends in AI and marketing

What is Flex?

A Flex course is taught in a technology-enhanced classroom that allows for students and guests to remotely connect via Zoom and actively participate with students and faculty in the physical classroom. This modality is highly desired by students who enjoy learning in the classroom but want the flexibility to connect online when work or family responsibilities prevent them from traveling to campus. You can attend on campus or remotely via Zoom. You don’t need to commit to one particular mode of attendance – you can choose on the day what works best for you.

Can I attend remotely?

Yes. You can attend remotely for all classes over the six weeks, or for some. You will need a computer (webcam, microphone, speakers) running the current version of Zoom to connect.

Can I attend on campus?

Yes. You can attend on campus for all classes over the six weeks, or for some.

Are there course materials?

There are no required books for this course. Comprehensive handouts and videos are provided on the the course website.

Is there required software?

Projects will require the use of free and freemium software. Instructions on how to download and use the software will be provided online. You may need administrator access to install these on your computer

Is this class very technical?

Some of the topics are technical but are described in a way that a non-technical person can understand. At every stage theory is integrated with the technology – we aim to provide insight for technical and non-technical participants.

Do I need a computer?

You will need access to a computer (Windows or macOS) and a reliable (broadband) connection to the internet. You may bring a laptop to campus if you wish, but it is not required.

Do I get DePaul credit for these classes?

No, but some have been approved for continuing education units (CEUs). These classes are professional education classes, with different requirements than courses taken for academic credit.

How big are the classes?

Class size is limited. Most classes have about 15-20 students.

Will I have to write papers and take exams?

You will have an optional assignment each week, which will not be graded, but you will receive feedback. At the end of the course, you will have a required class presentation. Instructions on how to create your online presentation will be provided.

Do I have to make a final presentation?

Yes. The final presentation is required to receive your certificate for the program.

How do I access the course website?