Everyone’s using artificial intelligence to work smarter these days. In fact, AI literacy is the No. 1 in-demand skill for workers in the United States, and ranks among the top five in-demand skills in countries around the globe.
E-learning strategist Ronnie Ashline, who’s leading a new UW Professional & Continuing Education course, Generative AI for Instructional Design, recently outlined why education is just one of the many fields in which professionals must prepare to work with AI, not against it.
“The question isn’t whether your people are using AI — they are,” says Ashline, a recipient of UW Continuum College’s 2025 Teaching Excellence Award. “The question is whether you’re going to harness that reality or let it undermine everything you’re trying to accomplish.”
Why AI Skills Matter
Build Your AI Skills
Find a UWPCE program in your field:
You need to be AI literate if you want to stay competitive in your field or if you’re looking to break into a new, AI-forward industry.
The AI revolution of recent years is largely based on machine learning (ML), says Ernst Henle, an ML engineer and data scientist who's led AI-related efforts for companies including HCLTech, Microsoft and Merck. He says this rapid innovation means the AI industry needs more humans who understand how machines do this work.
Want to be part of that AI scene? You'll need a solid foundation in areas such as data, applied math, programming and tech.
What's in the 'Black Box'?
Professionals who want to build systems that power AI or apply algorithms to solve real-world problems need to know what’s actually happening inside the ‘black boxes’ of ML algorithms and models, Henle says.
He says that level of understanding requires engineers who are prepared to combine quantitative and programming skills, which students can learn through two distinct programs: the UW Certificate in Data Science and the UW Certificate in Machine Learning.
“There is big need for these machine learning practitioners, and there are not enough of them around,” says Henle, who’s served as an instructor for both programs. “We will always need to optimize and retune machine learning models, and it’s important that the machine learning practitioner is part of that optimization.”
Plus, Ashline says, it’s never been more important to understand the ethics of AI in the workplace, especially if you’re building ML models, training AI systems, or leveraging generative AI to support your own work.
Get AI-Ready With Us
UWPCE is here to help you acquire the AI skills you need, such as ways to train AI tools, how to build AI products, and how to leverage generative AI to solve nearly any business problem.
Check out these UWPCE courses, certificates and specializations and discover how you can put AI to work for you.
Business & Leadership
Data, Applied Math, Programming & Tech
Education, Nonprofit & Society
Marketing, Communication & Design