Beginner course
AI for business - AI 101 fundamentals for managers & leaders
Master fundamentals of (Gen) AI as a manager, leverage opportunities with AI, and mitigate your people’s fears of AI
Beginner
Course facts
- Last updated 02/2026
- English English, Danish [Auto] , 16 more
- Instructor: Axel Rittershaus
- business adoption, leadership and AI strategy
What you'll learn
Practical outcomes
- 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
Curriculum
6 sections • 44 lectures • 2h 49m total length
AI Fundamentals for Managers12 lectures • 57min
- Why Executives & Managers Need to Engage with AI NOW (ChatGPT is NOT the Reason)07:41
- AI Fundamentals for Executives - Free Ebook/Workbook00:12
- When Do We Speak of AI? Simple Definition of AI for Managers02:09
- Relevant Business Areas for AI Managers Need to Pay Attention to04:34
- Test Your AI Readiness 4 questions
- Innovation, Digitization, and AI Belong Together03:35
- What Makes State-of-the-Art Generative AI Special? (ChatGPT,etc. for Managers)06:09
- Practical Examples of AI in Business & Life Beyond ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney04:17
- (Generative) AI Tools Every Manager, Executive, and Business Leader Should Know02:28
- AI Terms Managers Need to Know (Non-Tech Explanation)08:43
- The Power and Limits of Training Data - And My Approach to Avoid Biased Results04:34
- Moderna and Open AI - Example for Gen AI Roll Out and AI Champions03:32
- AI Agents (vs. Workflows) - What Are These & Why Does It Matter?09:02
- Test Your AI Knowledge 3 questions
Generative AI Examples for Managers (Mind-Blowing for Newcomers in GenAI)11 lectures • 38min
- GenAI Examples for Managers and Warning When Testing Generative AI Systems01:35
- Analyze and Visualise Data With Generative AI Using Julius.ai03:08
- ChatGPT Creates Ideas, Workshop, and Agenda for Your Team on How to Use GenAI02:42
- Create a Beautiful Presentation Based on One Document With GenAI and Gamma.app02:34
- GenAI as Your Executive Coach - Get Advice to Handle a Difficult Situation02:13
- Turn Documents and Youtube Videos into an Entertaining Podcast in 3 Minutes07:38
- DeepSeek – The Challenger from China06:47
- How Perplexity AI Transforms Research & Business Analysis06:49
- Check Your OKRs With a CustomGPT (Based on ChatGPT)00:41
- Exercise 1: Using Generative AI for Your Team and Run a Workshop02:03
- Exercise 2: Handle a Difficult (Management) Situation with GenAI Like ChatGPT01:39
Advancing AI Within Companies - And the Human Factor8 lectures • 30min
- The Human Handicap: Exponential Growth and AI (and Why ChatGPT Learned So Fast))04:42
- AI as a Colleague - How Managers Should Introduce AI to Their Teams03:42
- 7 Areas AI Will Transform in the Workplace and What it Means to Executives07:03
- AI and Fears: Actively Addressing the Fears of Employees Regarding AI02:54
- Example: How the Fear of an Executive and Its Team Hinders Innovation (and AI)03:20
- Actively Promoting AI Initiatives in the Company as an Executive/Manager02:55
- Why AI Projects Fail and How You, as a Manager, Can Avoid It03:32
- Reframing Employee Fear in a Team Meeting
- Why Hallucinating AI (ChatGPT, Bart, etc.) Can Be a Risk for a Business02:00
- Quiz on How Managers Leverage AI at the Workplace 4 questions
How Executives and Managers Approach AI with an Open Mindset4 lectures • 14min
- Fear of Innovation: What AI and Horse-Drawn Carriages Have in Common03:29
- AI Is Not a Technology Topic, But a Leadership Topic05:01
- Staying Up to Date on AI - Your AI Task Force02:42
- Real-World Examples of AI: AI Is Almost Everywhere Already02:49
- Convincing an Executive to Sponsor an AI Task Force
- Quiz: Approaching AI With an Open Mindset as a Leader/Manager 2 questions
The Leadership Crisis Nobody Sees Coming: AI and It's Impact on Succession Plans5 lectures • 14min
- AI and the Impact on Succession Plans & Development Programs01:27
- The "Empty Bench" Problem: When AI Elmininates Your Talent Pipeline03:11
- The AI-"Reviewer's Dilemma": How to Build Intuition Without Doing the Grunt Work03:14
- The End of "Empire Building" with AI: Redefining Status and Career Progression03:04
- Action Plan: 3 Steps to AI-Proof Your Development Programs02:48
Your Next Steps as a Manager and Business Regarding AI4 lectures • 17min
- How to Define AI Use Cases09:15
- Template: Identify AI Uses Cases Worth Implementing03:57
- Pro Tip: How to Test ANY Generative AI System for Free Without Registration00:13
- Next Steps for Managers/Executives to Leverage AI03:41
Who it 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!
Course description
Overview
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.
Instructor
Axel Rittershaus
Axel Rittershaus Leadership skills in an era of AI - "Great introduction to AI, Axel provided clear and concise information on the topic," Tammy B. - "First time learning about OKRs and this course was super helpful giving me the foundation knowledge to implement this in my work life.," Billy J. - "Great info and the narrator was great, well spoken and explained things very well.," Kevin R. My promise to you and all my clients since I changed my career in 2008 working as a trainer, coach, and author of leadership and communication is: "Every single element of a course must create value for you and be ready to be implemented easily" This means for you: 1) You'll learn methods and tips you can immediately implement 2) You'll have step-by-step instructions available, so you'll know exactly what you need to do to be successful 3) All content is designed to give you maximum results with the least effort possible. I won't waste your time with "bla bla" 4) You can always contact me directly to answer questions and share suggestions and criticisms. My background: Since 2008, I have been working with executives and entrepreneurs from over 30 countries, advising, coaching, and training them to become better leaders. This includes (sorry, only released in German) publishing the book "Management Practice for Engineers and IT Experts" (Original title: "Führungspraxis für Ingenieure und IT-Experten"), published by Springer Verlag. I only teach what I use myself and know from practical application: I set goals using OKR, I help clients achieve their goals with OKR, and I train leaders in leading their teams with OKR - because I truly believe in this concept. Prior to working as a coach, I was an entrepreneur in the IT industry for 15 years, and I also spent some time as a manager at Accenture and mid-sized companies. I was born, raised, and started my business in Germany before I moved to Cape Town in 2008. I am an avid Ultra Marathon runner, and you can see me on the roads and trails of almost all the cities I travel to - while my favorite will always be running along Table Mountain. You, my students on Udemy, can always reach out to me via the Udemy platform and I am happy to answer your questions. Receiving your feedback helps me to improve my courses and to work on the topics you are dealing with. So just drop me a line if you have a request or a question. >>> DEUTSCHES PROFIL <<< Was Udemy-Teilnehmer sagen... "Endlich ein wirklich PRAXISTAUGLICHES Seminar- sehr gut!", Harald E. "Ein ganz großartiger Kurs von einem großartigen Dozenten. Da gibt es fast nicht mehr zu zu sagen. Herr Rittershaus ist meiner Meinung nach einer der besten Dozenten hier auf Udemy..." "Dieser Kurs ist genial aufgebaut, super verständlich, sehr sympathischer Dozent, da macht Lernen Spaß." Mein Versprechen an Sie und all meine Kunden, seit ich mich 2008 als Leadership-Trainer, Führungskräfte-Coach und Autor für Führung und Kommunikation selbständig gemacht habe lautet: "Jedes einzelne Element eines Kurses muss einen Mehrwert bringen und direkt praktisch umsetzbar sein" Das bedeutet für Sie: 1) Sie erlernen SOFORT anwendbare Methoden und Tipps, sowohl für den Alltag als Führungskraft, als auch für Mitarbeiter ohne Führungsrolle 2) Sie erhalten Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitungen, damit Sie genau wissen, was Sie tun müssen, um erfolgreich zu sein 3) Alle Inhalte sind darauf ausgerichtet, Ihnen bei minimalem Aufwand maximal zu helfen. Bla Bla gibt es nicht. 4) Sie können sich jederzeit mit Fragen, Anregungen und Kritik an mich wenden. Seit 2008 arbeite ich mit Führungskräften und Unternehmern aus über 20 Ländern zusammen, berate, trainiere und coache sie dabei, besser zu führen. Dazu gehört auch mein Fachbuch "Führungspraxis für Ingenieure und IT-Experten", erschienen im Springer Verlag. Vor meiner Trainer-Tätigkeit war ich 15 Jahre lang selbständiger IT-Unternehmer sowie Führungskraft bei Accenture und mittelständischen Unternehmen. Ob es um das Setzen von Zielen mittels OKR, das Führen von Feedback- und Kritikgesprächen oder das Beeinflussen von Vorgesetzten geht - alle Kurse sind auf die Praxis zugeschnitten. Ich bin begeisterter Ultra Marathon Läufer und lebe in Kapstadt. Für meine Kursteilnehmer auf Udemy bin ich jederzeit über die Udemy-Plattform zu erreichen und stehe für Fragen zur Verfügung. Ihre Rückmeldungen helfen mir, meine Kurse besser zu machen und genau die Themen zu bearbeiten, die Sie beschäftige. Also schreiben Sie mir einfach, wenn Sie ein Anliegen oder eine Frage haben. Ich antworte.
