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AI for business - AI 101 fundamentals for managers & leaders

Name: AI for business - AI 101 fundamentals for managers & leaders
Rating: 4.5 (16702 reviews)

Master fundamentals of (Gen) AI as a manager, leverage opportunities with AI, and mitigate your people’s fears of AI

Role Play

Created byAxel Rittershaus

Last updated 6/2026

English

Czech [Auto],Danish [Auto],

What you'll learn

You know exactly why Generative AI & AI is important for your business now, how to leverage AI in your organization, address fears, and handle risks of AI
You will gain a competitive edge over competitors by getting your people excited about AI (instead of scared)
"Good fantastic course for managers and executives to start the AI journey", Sandeep - 100% AI know-how for business, 0% tech/coding
4 examples for using Generative AI in the workplace show you the power of AI
You understand, evaluate, and mitigate the risks of AI and GenAI- beyond ChatGPT
You address the fears of employees when introducing AI
You see high quality AI avatars co-facilitating this course and real-world examples of multiple industries to understand the power of AI
Free ebook/workbook for managers to leverage AI in their organizations
Spanish, Portuguese, German, English, French Subtitles professionally translated

Course content

7 sections • 51 lectures • 3h 12m total length

Why Executives & Managers Need to Engage with AI NOW (ChatGPT is NOT the Reason)7:41
Lead by engaging with ai now to boost productivity, master prompt engineering, and embed agentic ai across business processes while navigating regulatory frameworks.
AI Fundamentals for Executives - Free Ebook/Workbook0:12
When Do We Speak of AI? Simple Definition of AI for Managers2:09
Relevant Business Areas for AI Managers Need to Pay Attention to4:34
Test Your AI Readiness
Innovation, Digitization, and AI Belong Together3:35
What Makes State-of-the-Art Generative AI Special? (ChatGPT,etc. for Managers)6:09
Practical Examples of AI in Business & Life Beyond ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney4:17
Explore practical ai applications in business and life beyond ChatGPT, Dall-E, and Midjourney, illustrated by Symrise's digital perfumer Philyra, which knows 3.5 million formulas and 2,000 materials.
(Generative) AI Tools Every Manager, Executive, and Business Leader Should Know2:28
AI Terms Managers Need to Know (Non-Tech Explanation)8:43
Learn essential AI terms for managers, including machine learning, deep learning, generative AI, AI bias, prompting, chatbots, LLMs, and AGI, all explained in simple, non-technical terms.
The Power and Limits of Training Data - And My Approach to Avoid Biased Results4:34
Moderna and Open AI - Example for Gen AI Roll Out and AI Champions3:32
In April 2024, OpenAI published a customer success story about their collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Moderna. Let me give you a short summary:
1. Goal
Moderna aimed to maximize the positive impact of its mRNA medicines on patients by adopting a people-centric, technology-forward approach. The company partnered with OpenAI to deploy ChatGPT Enterprise to thousands of employees across various functions, with the goal of achieving 100% adoption and proficiency in generative AI within six months.
2. What was done with OpenAI
Moderna adopted OpenAI's ChatGPT Enterprise and integrated it into their workflows across various functions, including legal, research, manufacturing, and commercial. They launched an internal AI chatbot tool, mChat, built on OpenAI's API, which was later replaced by ChatGPT Enterprise after extensive user testing. Moderna also implemented a bespoke transformation program, combining individual, collective, and structural change management initiatives to drive AI adoption. In total, they created 400 GPTs within 2 months. Watch the video in the article I have linked next to this lecture.
3. Benefit for customers and patients:
The use of AI at Moderna can potentially improve clinical trial development, accelerate the development of new mRNA medicines, and enhance overall efficiency. For example, the Dose ID GPT pilot helps analyze clinical data, augmenting the clinical study team's judgment and decision-making. This can lead to a more comprehensive evaluation of data, ensuring safety and optimizing vaccine profiles before further development in late-stage clinical trials.
4. Benefit for the company:
"A team of a few thousand can perform like a team of 100,000"
By leveraging AI, Moderna can stay lean as a business while setting new benchmarks in innovation. AI helps improve efficiency and accuracy in business processes, allowing the company to perform like a larger team without significantly increasing headcount. This is crucial for Moderna's ambitious plan to bring up to 15 new products to market in the next 5 years. Additionally, AI adoption has led to the creation of novel use cases and GPTs that accelerate and expand the impact of every team across the company.

Read the full article - and please watch the video at the bottom of the article:
https://openai.com/index/moderna/
AI Agents (vs. Workflows) - What Are These & Why Does It Matter?9:02
AI agents differ from chatbots and workflows by autonomously planning and acting, using external tools, memory, and learning to deliver a complete, actionable plan based on real-time data.
Test Your AI Knowledge

Agentic AI: What It Means for Your Business and Your Management Role1:47
Explore agentic AI and a three-question filter to decide when to automate with an AI agent. Build a Copilot agent in minutes and avoid AI zombies.
The Agent-Worthy Filter: Three Questions Before You Build4:02
Apply the agent-worthy filter to decide if a task deserves an AI agent. In under a minute, ask: is it repetitive, multi-step, and touching multiple data points?
The Three-Minute AI Agent: Build Your First One in Copilot Without Code3:57
Learn to build your first 3-minute AI agent in Copilot without code, creating a simple, English-and-Spanish bilingual briefing agent for managers to monitor competitors and boost productivity.
Test, Scale, or Kill: How to Govern AI Agents Without Building a Graveyard4:31

GenAI Examples for Managers and Warning When Testing Generative AI Systems1:35
Analyze and Visualize Data With Generative AI Using Julius.ai3:08
Using real data from one of my Udemy courses with (anonymized!!!) review data, we employ the Generative AI tool julius.ai to help us
1. get clarity on our data
2. create charts we can use for a presentation
3. comb through 1000 (!) comments and summarize what positive and not-so-positive reviewers had to say about the course
4. get recommendations based on these comments on what to work on.
ChatGPT Creates Ideas, Workshop, and Agenda for Your Team on How to Use GenAI2:42
Do you want to run a workshop with your team to find out how to use AI and Generative AI at work?
Let ChatGPT do the work and come up with the following:
1. topics your team could discuss
2. a workshop agenda
3. an invitation email to the workshop
4. an invitation email to one team member to prepare one of the agenda topics.
From idea to ready-to-use agenda and email templates in 3 minutes, thanks to ChatGPT and Generative AI - what a productivity boost!
Create a Beautiful Presentation Based on One Document With GenAI and Gamma.app2:34
The Generative AI tool gamma.app assists us in turning a long article into a condensed, beautiful presentation with AI-generated images, which we eventually export as a PowerPoint presentation.
GenAI as Your Executive Coach - Get Advice to Handle a Difficult Situation2:13
In this example we use the Generative AI tool/chatbot Mistral.ai Le Chat as an executive coach for a young manager to handle a difficult management situation at work.
Turn Documents and Youtube Videos into an Entertaining Podcast in 3 Minutes7:38
Please note: As of July 2026, NotebookLM is now called Gemini Notebook. Any references to NotebookLM in this lecture refer to the same tool, now known as Gemini Notebook.
DeepSeek – The Challenger from China6:47
How Perplexity AI Transforms Research & Business Analysis6:49
Check Your OKRs With a CustomGPT (Based on ChatGPT)0:41
Exercise 1: Using Generative AI for Your Team and Run a Workshop2:03
Exercise 2: Handle a Difficult (Management) Situation with GenAI Like ChatGPT1:39

The Human Handicap: Exponential Growth and AI (and Why ChatGPT Learned So Fast))4:42
AI as a Colleague - How Managers Should Introduce AI to Their Teams3:42
Position AI as a colleague for your teams, leveraging its 24/7 availability and precise insights. Establish safeguards, question AI's conclusions, and learn to harness its strengths while recognizing its limits.
7 Areas AI Will Transform in the Workplace and What it Means to Executives7:03
Explore seven areas ai will transform the workplace, from automating processes and personalizing offerings to boosting content production, decision making, risk management, innovation and new business areas, and employee satisfaction.
AI and Fears: Actively Addressing the Fears of Employees Regarding AI2:54
Learn how to address employees' fears about AI through dialogue and leadership, using a Microsoft study showing 46% worry about job loss and 64% would delegate work to AI.
Example: How the Fear of an Executive and Its Team Hinders Innovation (and AI)3:20
Explore how executive and team fear of automation hinders innovation, and how a leader reframes ai as a future-ready, value-adding shift that starts with the leader.
Actively Promoting AI Initiatives in the Company as an Executive/Manager2:55
AI Champions - The People Making AI Actually Stick4:50
Learn how to identify and empower AI champions within your team who drive real adoption of AI by giving time to experiment, sharing lessons, and reducing barriers.
Why AI Projects Fail and How You, as a Manager, Can Avoid It3:32
Select the most appropriate AI algorithm for each task, involve AI and domain experts, ensure high-quality data and proper data preparation, and align expectations to prevent project failure.
Reframing Employee Fear in a Team Meeting
Why Hallucinating AI (ChatGPT, Bart, etc.) Can Be a Risk for a Business2:00
Are You Paying for Time - or for Results?2:53
Define value, measure impact, and embrace AI to reward results rather than time, unlocking higher output and fairer work expectations.
Quiz on How Managers Leverage AI at the Workplace

Fear of Innovation: What AI and Horse-Drawn Carriages Have in Common3:29
AI Is Not a Technology Topic, But a Leadership Topic5:01
Staying Up to Date on AI - Your AI Task Force2:42
Form a diverse ai task force across it, business administration, development, research, and sales; allocate budget to explore opportunities, engage experts, and identify game-changing ai initiatives for the long term.
Real-World Examples of AI: AI Is Almost Everywhere Already2:49
Convincing an Executive to Sponsor an AI Task Force
Quiz: Approaching AI With an Open Mindset as a Leader/Manager

AI and the Impact on Succession Plans & Development Programs1:27
The "Empty Bench" Problem: When AI Elmininates Your Talent Pipeline3:11
Identify the empty bench problem where AI's efficiency erodes the talent pipeline by hiring fewer juniors; invest in developing young talent to sustain future leaders and a strong succession pipeline.
The AI-"Reviewer's Dilemma": How to Build Intuition Without Doing the Grunt Work3:14
The End of "Empire Building" with AI: Redefining Status and Career Progression3:04
Redefine seniority and career progression as AI agents empower tiny teams with massive impact, replacing headcount with impact and creating paths for one-person unicorns.
Action Plan: 3 Steps to AI-Proof Your Development Programs2:48
Decouple compensation from headcount and reward efficiency to support AI-driven succession planning. Make AI literacy a gatekeeper for promotion and introduce manual modes in trainee programs to build intuition.

How to Define AI Use Cases9:15
Define ai use cases with a six-area framework to turn vague ideas into concrete, actionable projects and focus on pain points, ai roles, benefits, obstacles, and upskilling for measurable outcomes.
Template: Identify AI Uses Cases Worth Implementing3:57
Pro Tip: How to Test ANY Generative AI System for Free Without Registration0:13
Your Personal Leadership Profile0:35
Next Steps for Managers/Executives to Leverage AI3:41
Foster a results-driven culture, embrace experimentation with AI, and test old habits to unlock new possibilities. Empower mixed teams, establish an AI task force, engage customers, and venture boldly today.

Requirements

No AI or technical knowledge required

Description

Disclaimer: To demonstrate the capabilities of AI, this course contains the use of artificial intelligence.

"Very informative! Truly learned a lot about AI and, more importantly, new ways of thinking about AI and how it can help improve the organization and minimize routine work so we can focus more on essential and critical tasks."
John M.
"This course was engaging and certainly added a whole lot of creativity. Despite my many years of experience in business and technology with some AI sprinkled throughout, Axel did a good job of teaching more. Thanks."
George B.
"Good introduction to AI for Managers at all levels. Must know advancement."
Rachel Y.

Are you a business leader, manager, or executive?
Are you feel confident and ready to embrace the potential of AI and stay ahead of the game in the fast-paced business world?

Our focused AI 101 online course is designed

for business leaders and executives like you who are interested in GenAI and AI,
as well as anyone who wants to drive AI initiatives in their organization,
without any (or with only very little) AI knowledge.

In the coming months and years, GenAI and other AI systems are set to revolutionize the business landscape, presenting both exciting opportunities and potential risks.

Executives, Managers, and Business leaders like you must be able to unlock the power of AI to empower their businesses for the future!

But you need to be able to identify the hype from real business opportunities. And risks!

Your coach is the perfect guide for your journey into AI:

Axel Rittershaus has been an

IT-Entrepreneur since 1993 including early-stage AI systems,
31 years of IT experience
he's been a leader himself since 1997 and an executive coach since 2008.
27 years of leadership and 16 years of leadership coaching and consulting experience

Equip yourself and your team with the knowledge needed to thrive in this AI-driven era.

As a manager, you do NOT need to learn how to code, use machine learning, or deep learning algorithms!

Most AI-related courses teach you HOW to code and use the technical elements of AI.
In this AI 101 fundamentals course for business leaders and executives you learn the WHY of AI and the BUSINESS IMPLICATIONS of AI.
And WHAT you as a manager have to do.

Not only on an AI implementation level.

But (even more so) on a human level!

Because every AI project will fail if you don't know how to get your people on board! And you will know how to do this after completing this course.

After completing our course, you will

improve decision-making on how to get your people on board for your AI projects,
increase efficiency or gain a competitive edge over your (AI-hesitant) competitors by leveraging AI.

*** What students of this course say ***

"Excellent course for leaders and managers. Nice way of introducing AI for management."
Seetharaman Sankara R.
"Great insight!!"
Gayatri R.
"Definitely good at my level of understanding of AI."
Neneh L.
"It was a good match since we are starting on this journey of examining all our current processes to use AI."
Yamuna L.
"Amazing stuff to understand things with examples."
Kashif N.

Your benefits from enrolling in this course:

1. Be Ahead of the Curve of the application of AI in business
We prepare you and your team to confidently navigate the upcoming changes, ensuring your business remains resilient and adaptable, even in the face of disruption.

2. Strategic Insights in AI
Gain invaluable information to assess your business strategies in light of AI's profound impact. Make informed decisions that lead to success.

3. Uncover Potential Risks
Explore the essential considerations for AI implementation, empowering you to steer your business toward success while mitigating potential pitfalls.

4. Tailored for Business Leaders
No complex jargon or unnecessary technicalities! This course is specially tailored for leaders seeking to understand AI within the context of their business.

5. Real-World AI Examples
We provide multiple real-world examples in areas where you would not expect to see AI, like perfume production or frail care, 'chatting' with data using Julius AI or Podcast-Generation with NotebookLM.

6. The Path Forward with AI
Thanks to the checklists and templates you will develop a clear plan of action on leveraging AI.

Discover the Why, Impact, and Plan for AI Adoption in your business.

Don't miss this chance to stay ahead in the AI revolution.

Our short, professional, and focused lectures allow you to dive into specific areas of interest, tailoring your learning experience to suit your needs.

Book now and unlock the secrets to harnessing AI's full potential for your business success!

Enroll today and secure your place at the forefront of the AI-driven future.

Who this course is for:

Executives & Managers trying to understand how AI can impact their companies
Executives & Managers who want to leverage AI for their businesses, but don't want to code AI systems
HR professionals looking for a course to introduce the fundamentals of AI to their organisations
This course is NOT a technical ChatGPT or AI programming course!

AI for business - AI 101 fundamentals for managers & leaders

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

AI Fundamentals for Managers12 lectures • 57min

Agentic AI Fundamentals for Managers & Build Your First AI Agent4 lectures • 14min

Generative AI Examples for Managers (Mind-Blowing for Newcomers in GenAI)11 lectures • 38min

Advancing AI Within Companies - And the Human Factor11 lectures • 38min

How Executives and Managers Approach AI with an Open Mindset5 lectures • 14min

The Leadership Crisis Nobody Sees Coming: AI and It's Impact on Succession Plans5 lectures • 14min

Your Next Steps as a Manager and Business Regarding AI5 lectures • 18min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: