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Generative AI for Beginners: Build Your First AI Apps

A free 18-lesson video course from Microsoft Cloud Advocates that teaches the fundamentals of building generative AI applications, from LLMs and prompts to apps and agents.

Learn from: the original creator. Original content published on YouTube. DigitalSkillX organizes these public resources into a structured learning path. DigitalSkillX does not claim ownership or partnership.

Lessons
19
Time
About 8 hr 44 min
Level
beginner

Now playing: Building Text Generation Applications [Pt 6] | Generative AI for Beginners

About this path

This learning path is based on the Microsoft 'Generative AI for Beginners' course, presented by Microsoft Developer. It covers the core concepts of generative AI and large language models (LLMs), then moves into practical skills like prompt engineering, building text, chat, search, and image generation apps, and using low-code tools. Later lessons cover more advanced topics such as function calling, UX design, security, RAG, open source models, AI agents, and fine-tuning. Each video is taught by a Microsoft Cloud Advocate and includes hands-on examples. You can follow along with the full course materials and code in the official GitHub repository: https://aka.ms/genai-beginners

What you will learn

  • Explain what generative AI and large language models are and how they work.
  • Compare different types of LLMs and their use cases.
  • Apply responsible AI principles when building AI applications.
  • Write effective prompts using prompt engineering fundamentals and advanced techniques.
  • Build text generation, chat, search, and image generation applications.
  • Use low-code platforms to create AI-powered apps.
  • Integrate external tools with function calling and design user-friendly AI experiences.
  • Secure AI applications and manage their lifecycle.
  • Understand retrieval augmented generation (RAG) and vector databases.
  • Explore open source models, AI agents, and fine-tuning.

Who this is for

Beginners who want a structured free introduction before deeper practice.

Curriculum

Section 1: Foundations of Generative AI

  1. Lesson 1: Introduction to Generative AI and LLMs [Pt 1] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Carlotta Castelluccio introduces the course and explains what generative AI and large language models (LLMs) are. You learn how LLMs work at a high level and what you can build with them.

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  2. Lesson 2: Exploring and comparing different LLMs [Pt 2] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Carlotta Castelluccio and Pablo Lopes explore different types of LLMs, including their characteristics and applications across industries. You learn how to compare and choose the right model for your needs.

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  3. Lesson 3: Using Generative AI Responsibly [Pt 3] | Generative AI for Beginners

    This lesson covers responsible AI usage, focusing on fairness, transparency, and accountability. You learn practical considerations to ensure your AI outputs are ethical and safe.

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Section 2: Prompt Engineering

  1. Lesson 4: Understanding Prompt Engineering Fundamentals [Pt 4] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Nitya Narasimhan teaches prompt engineering fundamentals, including how to craft clear and effective prompts. You learn the art and science behind getting better responses from generative AI.

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  2. Lesson 5: Creating Advanced Prompts [Pt 5] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Chris Noring dives into advanced prompt engineering techniques to optimize prompts for better results. You learn how to improve prompt structure, use examples, and handle complex tasks.

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Section 3: Building Core AI Applications

  1. Lesson 6: Building Text Generation Applications [Pt 6] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Chris Noring guides you step by step through building text generation applications using OpenAI. You learn the core concepts and practical implementation details.

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  2. Lesson 7: Building Chat Applications [Pt 7] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Jasmine Greenaway covers how to build chat applications powered by generative AI. You learn the nuances of constructing efficient and effective chat experiences.

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  3. Lesson 8: Building Search Apps Vector Databases [Pt 8] | Generative AI for Beginners

    This lesson explains how to build search applications using embeddings and vector databases. You learn how to represent data as vectors and use them for semantic search.

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  4. Lesson 9: Building Image Generation Applications [Pt 9] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Learn how to generate images from text descriptions using generative AI. The lesson covers image generation applications and their use cases in fields like MedTech and more.

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  5. Lesson 10: Building Low Code AI Applications [Pt 10] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Someleze Diko explores low-code development platforms, specifically Microsoft Power Platform, and how to enhance them with generative AI. You learn to build AI apps with minimal code.

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Section 4: Advanced Topics and Best Practices

  1. Lesson 11: Integrating External Applications with Function Calling [Pt 11] | Generative AI for Beginners

    This lesson covers function calling to integrate external applications with your AI. You learn how to get consistent response formats and connect LLMs to external tools.

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  2. Lesson 12: Designing UX for AI Applications [Pt 12] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Bethany Jepchumba discusses UX design for AI applications, focusing on building trust and transparency. You learn how to design user experiences that feel reliable and clear.

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  3. Lesson 13: Securing Your Generative AI Applications [Pt 13] | Generative AI for Beginners

    This video covers security for generative AI applications, including common risks and threats. You learn methods and considerations for securing AI systems, such as red teaming.

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  4. Lesson 14: The Generative AI Application Lifecycle [Pt 14] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Learn about the generative AI application lifecycle, from planning to maintenance. You understand how to keep your AI app relevant, reliable, and robust over time.

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  5. Lesson 15: Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and Vector Databases [Pt 15] | Generative AI for Beginners

    This lesson dives deeper into retrieval augmented generation (RAG) and vector databases. You learn how to ground LLMs with your own data to improve accuracy and relevance.

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  6. Lesson 16: Open Source Models and Hugging Face [Pt 16] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Explore the world of open source LLMs and Hugging Face. You learn how to use open source models and compare them with proprietary options.

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  7. Lesson 17: AI Agents [Pt 17] | Generative AI for Beginners

    This lesson introduces AI agents, which enable LLMs to take actions beyond just generating text. You learn about agent frameworks and how to build simple agents.

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  8. Lesson 18: Fine-Tuning LLMs [Pt 18] | Generative AI for Beginners

    Learn about fine-tuning pre-trained language models, including its benefits and challenges. You get guidance on when and how to fine-tune models for specific tasks.

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Section 5: Additional lessons

  1. Lesson 19: Full Series [Part 1-18] | Generative AI for Beginners

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