You’re busy. You don’t have much time to figÂure out the deal with Large LanÂguage ModÂels (aka LLMs). But you have some curiosÂiÂty. Enter Andrej KarpaÂthy and his preÂsenÂtaÂtion, “A Busy PerÂsonÂ’s IntroÂducÂtion to Large LanÂguage ModÂels.” It’s a one-hour tutoÂrÂiÂal that explains “the core techÂniÂcal comÂpoÂnent behind sysÂtems like ChatÂGÂPT, Claude, and Bard.” Designed for a genÂerÂal audiÂence, the video explains what Large LanÂguage ModÂels (LLMs) are, and where KarpaÂthy sees them going. Andrej knows what he’s talkÂing about. He curÂrentÂly works for OpeÂnAI (the makÂer of ChatÂGÂPT), and, before that, he served as the direcÂtor of artiÂfiÂcial intelÂliÂgence at TesÂla.
As one YouTube comÂmenter put it, “Andrej is hands-down one of the best ML [Machine LearnÂing] eduÂcaÂtors out there.” At StanÂford, he was the priÂmaÂry instrucÂtor for the first deep learnÂing class, which has become one of the largest coursÂes at the uniÂverÂsiÂty. Enjoy.
Andrew Ng–an AI pioÂneer and StanÂford comÂputÂer sciÂence professor–has released a new course called GenÂerÂaÂtive AI for EveryÂone. Designed for a non-techÂniÂcal audiÂence, the course will “guide you through how genÂerÂaÂtive AI works and what it can (and can’t) do. It includes hands-on exerÂcisÂes where you’ll learn to use genÂerÂaÂtive AI to help in day-to-day work.” The course also explains “how to think through the lifeÂcyÂcle of a genÂerÂaÂtive AI project, from conÂcepÂtion to launch, includÂing how to build effecÂtive prompts,” and it disÂcussÂes “the potenÂtial opporÂtuÂniÂties and risks that genÂerÂaÂtive AI techÂnoloÂgies present to indiÂvidÂuÂals, busiÂnessÂes, and sociÂety.” GivÂen the comÂing prevaÂlence of AI, it’s worth spendÂing six hours with this course (the estiÂmatÂed time needÂed to comÂplete it). You can audit GenÂerÂaÂtive AI for EveryÂone for free, and watch all of the lecÂtures at no cost. If you would like to take the course and earn a cerÂtifiÂcate, it will cost $49.
Once the SecÂreÂtary of Labor under the ClinÂton AdminÂisÂtraÂtion, Robert Reich spent 17 years teachÂing at UC BerkeÂley. This past spring, he taught his final course there, and it’s now availÂable online. Above, you can stream 14 lecÂtures from “Wealth and PoverÂty,” a course “designed to proÂvide stuÂdents with a deepÂer underÂstandÂing of both the orgaÂniÂzaÂtion of the politÂiÂcal econÂoÂmy in the UnitÂed States and of othÂer advanced economies, and why the disÂtriÂbÂuÂtion of earnÂings, wealth, and opporÂtuÂniÂty have been divergÂing in the UnitÂed States and in othÂer nations.” UsuÂalÂly attendÂed by 750 BerkeÂley underÂgradÂuÂates, the course is also “intendÂed to proÂvide insights into the politÂiÂcal and pubÂlic-polÂiÂcy debates that have arisen in light of this diverÂgence, as well as posÂsiÂble means of reversÂing it.”
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
“We now have to decide withÂin a couÂple of decades whether the human experÂiÂment is going to conÂtinÂue or whether it’ll go down in gloÂriÂous disÂasÂter,” says Noam ChomÂsky in a new interÂview on econÂoÂmist Tyler Cowen’s podÂcast ConÂverÂsaÂtions with Tyler. “That’s what we’re facÂing. We know answers, at least posÂsiÂble answers to all of the probÂlems that face us. We’re not purÂsuÂing them.” This came in response to one of Cowen’s stanÂdard quesÂtions, about the guest’s “proÂducÂtion funcÂtion”: that is, the methÂods or sysÂtems the guest uses to remain proÂducÂtive in their work. Such a line of inquiry is espeÂcialÂly perÂtiÂnent in ChomÂsky’s case, givÂen the famousÂly intense work schedÂule he mainÂtains as a pubÂlic intelÂlecÂtuÂal at the age of 94.
ProÂpaÂganÂda, manipÂuÂlaÂtion, and conÂsumpÂtion are major themes of his work (one forÂgets that he first became well-known as a linÂguist), and he became popÂuÂlarÂly assoÂciÂatÂed with them thanks in large part to ManÂuÂfacÂturÂing ConÂsent, the 1988 book he co-wrote with Edward S. HerÂman. Of course, the media landÂscape looked quite difÂferÂent 35 years ago, and this MasÂterÂclass — a class of prodÂuct scarceÂly imagÂinÂable back then — offers him an opporÂtuÂniÂty to bring his views into the twenÂty-twenÂties.
“Social media tends to driÂve peoÂple into self-reinÂforcÂing bubÂbles,” ChomÂsky says in the trailÂer. “It’s driÂving peoÂple even to more extreme views.” This is the kind of lament one now hears aired three or four times before breakÂfast, but selÂdom from a figÂure who’s been theÂoÂrizÂing about the underÂlyÂing forces as long as ChomÂsky has. Social media may offer an avenue of freeÂdom from the stanÂdard suite of top-down mainÂstream narÂraÂtives, but it may also conÂstiÂtute just anothÂer “powÂer sysÂtem,” which by its very nature seeks only “conÂtrol and domÂiÂnaÂtion.” EncourÂagÂing the habits of critÂiÂcal thinkÂing needÂed to resist such conÂtrol and domÂiÂnaÂtion has long been essenÂtial to ChomÂsky’s project. And the stakes of that project, as he’ll sureÂly nevÂer stop seekÂing platÂforms from which to tell the world, could hardÂly be highÂer. Explore Noam ChomÂsky TeachÂes IndeÂpenÂdent ThinkÂing and the MediÂa’s InvisÂiÂble PowÂershere.
Note: If you sign up for a MasÂterÂClass course by clickÂing on the links in this post, Open CulÂture will receive a small fee that helps supÂport our operÂaÂtion.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
This spring, Google has launched sevÂerÂal online cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgrams designed to help stuÂdents land an entry-levÂel job, withÂout necÂesÂsarÂiÂly havÂing a colÂlege degree. The tech comÂpaÂny’s latÂest proÂgram covÂers CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty, a field that stands poised to grow as comÂpaÂnies become more digÂiÂtal, and cyberÂatÂtacks inevitably conÂtinÂue.
UnderÂstand the imporÂtance of cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty pracÂtices and their impact for orgaÂniÂzaÂtions.
IdenÂtiÂfy comÂmon risks, threats, and vulÂnerÂaÂbilÂiÂties, as well as techÂniques to mitÂiÂgate them.
ProÂtect netÂworks, devices, peoÂple, and data from unauÂthoÂrized access and cyberÂatÂtacks using SecuÂriÂty InforÂmaÂtion and Event ManÂageÂment (SIEM) tools.
Gain hands-on expeÂriÂence with Python, LinÂux, and SQL.
StuÂdents can take indiÂvidÂual coursÂes in these proÂfesÂsionÂal cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgrams for free. (Above, you can watch video from the first course in the cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgram, entiÂtled “FounÂdaÂtions of CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty.”) HowÂevÂer, if you would like to receive a cerÂtifiÂcate, CoursÂera will charge $49 per month (after an iniÂtial 7‑day free triÂal periÂod). That means that the CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty ProÂfesÂsionÂal CerÂtifiÂcate, designed to be comÂpletÂed in 6 months, will cost roughÂly $300 in total.
Once stuÂdents comÂplete the cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty cerÂtifiÂcate, they can add the creÂdenÂtial to their LinkedIn proÂfile, resume, or CV. As a perk, stuÂdents in the U.S. can also conÂnect with 150+employÂers (e.g., AmerÂiÂcan Express, ColÂgate-PalÂmoÂlive, T‑Mobile, WalÂmart, and Google) who have pledged to conÂsidÂer cerÂtifiÂcate holdÂers for open posiÂtions. AccordÂing to CoursÂera, this cerÂtifiÂcate can preÂpare stuÂdents to become an entry-levÂel “cyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty anaÂlyst and SOC (secuÂriÂty operÂaÂtions cenÂter) anaÂlyst.”
Note: Open CulÂture has a partÂnerÂship with CoursÂera. If readÂers enroll in cerÂtain CoursÂera coursÂes and proÂgrams, it helps supÂport Open CulÂture.
First, the Google Advanced Data AnaÂlytÂics ProÂfesÂsionÂal CerÂtifiÂcate builds on the origÂiÂnal Data AnaÂlytÂics CerÂtifiÂcate and “delves into machine learnÂing, preÂdicÂtive modÂelÂing, and experÂiÂmenÂtal design to colÂlect and anaÂlyze large amounts of data.” FeaÂturÂing sevÂen coursÂes in total, the proÂgram takes roughÂly six months to comÂplete and aims to teach stuÂdents how to 1) build regresÂsion and machine learnÂing modÂels to anaÂlyze and interÂpret data, 2) creÂate data visuÂalÂizaÂtions and apply staÂtisÂtiÂcal methÂods to invesÂtiÂgate data, and 3) comÂmuÂniÂcate insights from data analyÂsis to stakeÂholdÂers. EssenÂtialÂly, it teachÂes many tools of the trade needÂed to become a senior data anaÂlyst or junior data sciÂenÂtist.
With the Google BusiÂness IntelÂliÂgence ProÂfesÂsionÂal CerÂtifiÂcate, stuÂdents can parÂticÂiÂpate in a shortÂer proÂgram that focusÂes on transÂformÂing data into actionÂable insights for orgaÂniÂzaÂtions. ConÂsistÂing of three coursÂes (and lastÂing about two months), the proÂgram helps stuÂdents learn skills like data modÂelÂing, data visuÂalÂizaÂtion, and dashboarding–skills that have wide applicÂaÂbilÂiÂty in our data-driÂven age.
StuÂdents can actuÂalÂly take indiÂvidÂual coursÂes in these proÂfesÂsionÂal cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgrams for free. HowÂevÂer, if you would like to receive the cerÂtifiÂcates, CoursÂera charges $49 per month (after an iniÂtial 7‑day free triÂal periÂod). That means that the Advanced Data AnaÂlytÂics ProÂfesÂsionÂal CerÂtifiÂcate, if comÂpletÂed in 6 months, will cost less than $300. And the BusiÂness IntelÂliÂgence ProÂfesÂsionÂal CerÂtifiÂcate would run about $100. Once stuÂdents comÂplete a cerÂtifiÂcate, they can add the creÂdenÂtial to their LinkedIn proÂfile, resume, or CV. LikeÂwise, they can conÂnect with 150+ U.S. hirÂing orgaÂniÂzaÂtions in Google’s EmployÂer ConÂsorÂtium. If you would like to learn more about Google Career CerÂtifiÂcates, you can read this handy page on UniÂverÂsiÂty of Texas’ webÂsite.
Update: Google has also added a new cerÂtifiÂcate proÂgram focused on CyberÂseÂcuÂriÂty. Find out more about the proÂgram here.
You can sign up for the proÂgrams by clickÂing on the links in bold above. Each proÂgram has a 7‑day free triÂal.
Note: Open CulÂture has a partÂnerÂship with CoursÂera. If readÂers enroll in cerÂtain CoursÂera coursÂes and proÂgrams, it helps supÂport Open CulÂture.
When YayÂoi Kusama first arrived in New York, in the late nineÂteen-fifties, she must have sensed that she was in a pracÂtiÂcalÂly ideÂal time and place to make abstract art. That would explain why she subÂseÂquentÂly began creÂatÂing a series of large paintÂings we now know as InfinÂiÂty Nets, all of which conÂsist soleÂly of patÂterns of polÂka dots — or at least what look like patÂterns, and what look like polÂka dots, when viewed from a disÂtance. Up close, there’s someÂthing quite difÂferÂent going on, someÂthing altoÂgethÂer more organÂic, irregÂuÂlar, and ever-shiftÂing. and the best method of underÂstandÂing it is to pick up a brush and paint an infinÂiÂty net of your own.
You can learn how to do that by watchÂing the video above, which comes from CoursÂera and the MuseÂum of ModÂern Art’s online course “In the StuÂdio: PostÂwar Abstract PaintÂing.” In it, painter Corey D’AuÂgusÂtine goes through all the steps of exeÂcutÂing a finÂished canÂvas in the style of Kusama’s InfinÂiÂty Nets, which requires litÂtle conÂvenÂtionÂal techÂniÂcal skill, but a great deal of patience.
D’AuÂgusÂtine sugÂgests that you “lose yourÂself in the serÂiÂal activÂiÂty” of paintÂing all these tiny shapes “as a way to quiÂet the mind.” Get deep enough into it, and “you won’t be thinkÂing about your job or your chilÂdren or whatÂevÂer it is, whatÂevÂer kind of stressÂes you have on your mind norÂmalÂly.
This therÂaÂpeuÂtic view isn’t a milÂlion miles from what Kusama has said of her own motiÂvaÂtions for creÂatÂing art. Even before launchÂing into the InfinÂiÂty Nets propÂer, she was paintÂing polÂka-dot fields out of inspiÂraÂtion givÂen to her by the halÂluÂciÂnaÂtions she’d been sufÂferÂing since the age of ten. Now, at the age of 94, she’s long been a world-renowned artist, one who volÂunÂtarÂiÂly resides at a menÂtal-health facilÂiÂty when not at work in her stuÂdio furÂther explorÂing the very same visuÂal conÂcepts with which she began. You can learn more about Kusama’s life from the mateÂrÂiÂal we’ve preÂviÂousÂly feaÂtured here on Open CulÂture, and if you want to go all the way into her world, there’s always her autoÂbiÂogÂraÂphy, InfinÂiÂty Net.
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
A recent Pew Research CenÂter surÂvey found that nearÂly one in five AmerÂiÂcan teenagers is on Youtube “almost conÂstantÂly.” Ten years ago, the figÂure sureÂly wouldÂn’t have been that high, and twenÂty years ago, of course, Youtube didÂn’t exist at all. But today, no enterÂprise directÂed at teenagers can afford to ignore it: that goes for pop music and fashÂion, of course, but also for eduÂcaÂtion. Most kids just startÂing colÂlege are on Youtube, but so are those about to start colÂlege, those takÂing time off from colÂlege, and those unsure of whether they’re willÂing or able to go to colÂlege at all. Hence ColÂlege FounÂdaÂtion, a new extenÂsion of Youtube chanÂnel Study Hall, the prodÂuct of a partÂnerÂship between AriÂzona State UniÂverÂsiÂty, YouTube and Crash Course.
Crash Course has long proÂduced video series that, both enterÂtainÂingÂly and at length, covÂer subÂjects taught in school from hisÂtoÂry to litÂerÂaÂture to phiÂlosÂoÂphy and beyond. The ColÂlege FounÂdaÂtion’s proÂgram will make it posÂsiÂble not just to learn on Study Hall, but to earn real colÂlege credÂits as well.
“StuÂdents who are interÂestÂed in forÂmal courseÂwork beyond watchÂing the videos may pay a $25 fee to enroll in an ASU online course that includes interÂactÂing with othÂer stuÂdents and instrucÂtors,” writes Inside HighÂer EduÂcaÂtion’s Susan D’AgostiÂno. Upon comÂpleÂtion of the course, “the stuÂdent can decide whether they would like to pay $400 to record the grade and receive ASU credÂit.”
EnrollÂment is now open for the first four ColÂlege FounÂdaÂtions coursÂes, EngÂlish ComÂpoÂsiÂtion, ColÂlege Math, U.S. HisÂtoÂry and Human ComÂmuÂniÂcaÂtion, all of which begin on March 7th. (Those who sign up before that start date will receive a $50 disÂcount.) “Once you’re in a course, you can conÂtact a sucÂcess coach via email to get help with assignÂments,” writes TechCrunch’s Aisha Malik. “You can comÂplete your courseÂwork when it’s conÂveÂnient for you, but you will have weekÂly due dates for most of the coursÂes. If you want to access addiÂtionÂal supÂport, some instrucÂtors hold optionÂal office hours.” This sort of learnÂing expeÂriÂence could become a bridge to Youtube life and colÂlege life — the latÂter being the subÂject addressed, with charÂacÂterÂisÂtic Youtube directÂness, in the existÂing Study Hall course “How to ColÂlege.”
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂterBooks on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
We're hoping to rely on loyal readers, rather than erratic ads. Please click the Donate button and support Open Culture. You can use Paypal, Venmo, Patreon, even Crypto! We thank you!
Open Culture scours the web for the best educational media. We find the free courses and audio books you need, the language lessons & educational videos you want, and plenty of enlightenment in between.
