AI Literacy: Building Understanding, Ethics, and Responsible Practice (HERA Micro Credential)

The AI Literacy Foundations course was developed by the Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA)—a collaboration of 17 colleges and universities across Southeastern Wisconsin working in partnership with regional businesses and economic development organizations. Together, these institutions are addressing one of the region’s most pressing challenges: the growing shortage of skilled talent in emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence.

This course was created in direct response to input from industry leaders who expressed a need for accessible, foundational knowledge about AI—what it is, what it can do, and how it can benefit organizations. Through this partnership, HERA institutions have combined their expertise to develop a resource that helps professionals, educators, and community members understand the essentials of AI and its real-world applications.

Learners will explore the relationships between artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science, and how these technologies are shaping industries from manufacturing and healthcare to marketing and supply chain management. The course demystifies AI, explaining key concepts in clear, approachable terms and showing how organizations can responsibly and effectively leverage these tools to strengthen their operations and competitiveness.

As part of this program, participants will hear directly from educators and industry leaders in Southeastern Wisconsin who are actively using AI to drive innovation. Upon completion of the course and assessments, learners will earn a digital badge in AI Literacy, demonstrating their understanding of fundamental AI concepts and their readiness to engage in data-driven decision-making.

HERA’s mission is grounded in collaboration and community impact. By bringing together higher education and industry, this initiative empowers individuals and organizations to adapt to technological change—helping Southeastern Wisconsin grow stronger, smarter, and more connected in the age of AI.

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Machine learning is one of the most powerful and widely used branches of artificial intelligence, shaping everything from the recommendations we see on Netflix to the tools businesses use to make data-driven decisions. In this video, you’ll learn what machine learning really means—how computers can be taught to recognize patterns, make predictions, and solve problems without being explicitly programmed for each task. The presenter breaks down the main categories of machine learning, including supervised and unsupervised learning, and shows how each can be used in practical, real-world scenarios.

Whether you’re new to AI or looking to deepen your understanding, this video will help you connect the technical concepts to real applications in business, education, and everyday life. You’ll also explore the key steps in building a machine learning model—from collecting and cleaning data, to training, evaluating, and improving models over time. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of how machines learn, how we measure their success, and how these systems are transforming industries across the region and beyond.

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