Coursera equips Malaysia’s workforce for the AI age 

Coursera, a leading online learning platform, officially launched its Generative AI (GenAI) Academy in Malaysia today.

This follows a successful global launch earlier in 2024.

Coursera upskilling for a digital future

The academy provides a comprehensive curriculum designed to equip Malaysians with the skills needed to thrive in an AI-driven workplace.

This initiative aligns with Malaysia’s ambition to become a digitally-driven, high-income nation.

A report by Access Partnership and MyDIGITAL Corporation estimates that GenAI could add $113 billion to Malaysia’s GDP, highlighting the crucial role of education and upskilling.

The GenAI Academy offers two distinct programs:

• GenAI Academy for Everyone: This foundational literacy program provides a comprehensive understanding of GenAI’s core principles, applications, and impact. Employees can leverage this knowledge to enhance productivity and innovation by utilizing AI tools effectively.
• GenAI Academy for Executives: This program helps leaders develop a deep understanding of AI’s broad applications and market influence. Participants gain the skills to make strategic and ethical choices while guiding their teams through rapid technological advancements.

Beyond the Academy: AI-Powered Learning Experiences

Coursera’s commitment to supporting Malaysian learners extends beyond the GenAI Academy. The platform recently introduced several AI-powered features:

• Simplified Chinese translations: Over 4,400 courses are now available in Simplified Chinese, including popular options like “Generative AI for Everyone” and “Programming for Everybody.” Learners can access course materials, subtitles, quizzes, and discussions entirely in their local language.
• Coursera Coach (beta): This AI-powered virtual learning assistant provides personalized feedback, answers questions, and summarizes video lectures and resources. Coursera Coach will also support learners interacting in the local language. This feature is currently available to Coursera Plus subscribers, Coursera for Business users, and Coursera for Government learners.
• Coursera Course Builder: This AI-assisted authoring tool empowers businesses, governments, and universities to create custom private courses efficiently. Based on prompts, the tool generates content including course structure, descriptions, readings, assignments, and glossaries. Authors can seamlessly blend modules from Coursera’s partners with content from in-house experts.

“Malaysia’s digital economy vision hinges on a skilled and diversified workforce,” emphasised Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda.

“We’re excited to empower Malaysian learners and institutions with AI innovations to bridge the digital divide and build an inclusive workforce for the future.”

Since the pandemic, Coursera’s Malaysian learner base has grown nearly fourfold, with over 754,000 learners and 1.4 million enrolments.

Leading companies and universities are utilising Coursera’s enterprise offerings to equip their workforces with the skills needed for success in the digital age.