Become an AI Expert in CRE: Take Google’s Generative AI Courses

Since diving into the world of commercial real estate (CRE), I’ve kept my eyes peeled for tools and technologies that can revolutionize the way we conduct business. One of the most exciting developments in recent years is artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential applications in CRE. That’s why I’m thrilled to share with you another new learning resource that’s caught my attention: Google’s Generative AI learning path.

What is Generative AI?

For those who may be unfamiliar, generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that has the ability to create something new. It’s like giving a machine an artist’s brush, and the results can be astonishing. From creating realistic images to generating coherent text, generative AI is pushing the boundaries of what machines can do.

Below you’ll find an image I created using Midjourney, a generative AI program for generating original images from natural language descriptions. To create this image, I simply

Google’s Generative AI Learning Path

In line with our continued emphasis on exploring applications for AI in Commercial Real Estate (CRE), we would like to bring our readers’ attention to another remarkable resource, namely, Google’s Generative AI learning path.

Google’s Generative AI learning path comprises an expertly assembled set of courses that delve into the essentials of Large Language Models and the creation and deployment of generative AI solutions using Google Cloud. Similar to how mastering Excel or acquiring data analysis skills can distinguish job seekers, generative AI offers a unique avenue for professionals to stand out in the Commercial Real Estate (CRE) sector.

Why should CRE professionals pay attention to this technology? Imagine being able to generate accurate property descriptions, craft persuasive marketing content, or even create visual representations of future development projects—all using AI. The possibilities are vast, and the potential time and resource savings are significant.

Embrace the Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Commercial Real Estate

As of June 2023, this learning path is being offered for free from Google. While the courses themselves are generally introductory in nature, taking these courses is a fantastic opportunity to be on the front-edge of knowledge in the fast-evolving area of AI. By taking this series of free courses, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of Generative AI, its applications, and the tools to create and implement your own AI models.

Below find brief descriptions of the courses included in the learning path:

Introduction to Generative AI

The learning path starts with a great initial course on Generative AI. It’s all about how this type of AI can create new stuff, like text or images, and how it’s different from the usual machine learning stuff. Plus, they show off some Google Tools for creating your own Generative AI.

Introduction to Large Language Models

Next up, Google’s giving the lowdown on large language models (LLM). They explain what LLMs are, where they can be used, and how tweaking the prompts can make them perform even better. They also share how to use Google tools to develop your own LLM.

Introduction to Responsible AI

This one’s all about playing nice with AI. Google explains what responsible AI is, why it matters, and how they make sure their own AI products are playing by the rules. They even share Google’s 7 AI principles.

Generative AI Fundamentals

After you finish the first three courses, you can test your understanding of the basics of generative AI with this course. Pass the final quiz and you’ll receive a skill badge. You can then add that skill badge to your LinkedIn profile to demonstrate proficiency in generative AI.

Introduction to Image Generation

This course is all about diffusion models. These are machine learning models that take inspiration from physics, particularly thermodynamics, to generate images. They’ve been making waves in research and applications lately.

Encoder-Decoder Architecture

Here, Google breaks down the encoder-decoder architecture, a big player in tasks like machine translation and text summarization. You’ll learn about the key parts of this architecture and how they work together.

Attention Mechanism

This course shines a spotlight on the attention mechanism, a clever trick that lets neural networks focus on specific bits of an input sequence. You’ll get to understand how attention works and how it can supercharge your machine learning models.

Transformer Models and BERT Model

Next, Google introduces the Transformer architecture and the BERT model. You’ll learn about the main parts of the Transformer architecture, like the self-attention mechanism, and how it’s used to build the BERT model.

Create Image Captioning Models

This course teaches you how to teach a machine to caption images. You’ll learn about the different parts of an image captioning model and how to train and evaluate it.

Introduction to Generative AI Studio

Last but not least, Google shows off Generative AI Studio, a tool on Vertex AI for prototyping and customizing generative AI models. You’ll get to learn what it is, what it does, and how to use it.

Have Thoughts on Generative AI?

As always, we’re keen to hear your thoughts. Have you used AI in your CRE workload? What potential uses do you see for generative AI in our industry? Feel free to reach out with thoughts or questions!