According to the article, artificial intelligence and machine learning have become essential skills across industries, and employers are actively looking for professionals who understand both the theory and practical application of these technologies. The article lists five AI and machine learning courses worth considering, including the AI Engineering Professional Certificate – IBM for beginners and career changers, which covers Python, machine learning, generative AI, and deep learning in a self-paced online format; the Machine Learning Specialization – Stanford & DeepLearning.AI for beginners with basic Python knowledge, covering supervised learning, neural networks, and model evaluation as an online specialization; and AI for Everyone – DeepLearning.AI for business professionals and managers. The article notes that a certificate alone will not land you a job in AI, and that basic knowledge in the Python programming language and basic knowledge of mathematics including probability and statistics are useful prerequisites.