Sales exec took a $3,000 AI course to ensure he didn't get replaced by someone younger

A few months ago, a new client, the CEO of an oil and gas company, told me he wanted to build a data warehouse to power several AI initiatives. I could not answer his questions. He was way more knowledgeable about AI than I was.

It made me realize that if I can’t articulate what AI can do for a client, I will be replaced. I needed to get well-versed in this whole AI thing.

I initially signed up for an online course offered through MIT, but it was way too deep and complicated. My CEO then found a 12-week certification program called AI Business Strategy offered through Johns Hopkins University. He and I signed up, along with one of my colleagues in sales. It cost about $3,000 per person, and our company paid for it.

You had the choice of taking the classes on Saturdays or Sundays. They were live, two-hour online lectures taught by multiple teachers. Some were professors at Johns Hopkins, and others were businesspeople.

It started with a little history lesson. We learned the difference between generative and agentic AI and what LLMs are. Later, we covered topics like responsible AI, generative AI for business, and AI project management.

There was also about four to six hours worth of homework every week. We had to watch a lot of videos, take quizzes, and complete three projects. The program was designed to ensure that you apply what you have learned.

I’m 57, so I’m on the older side. There are a lot of young people who could take my job. This was the first time in 30 years that I needed to get up to speed on something with formal training.

Some weeks were slow at work, and I could jam everything into one afternoon. But there were other weeks when I felt like I was back in college because I had to pull an all-nighter. After everybody went to bed, I stayed up in my home office working on course material.

I recently had a follow-up conversation with the oil and gas CEO. It went very differently this time. It wasn’t him asking questions and me sitting there like a dummy.

I was able to articulate the value of implementing AI in his businesshow it would need to be done, the importance of having good data, and how to get that data. The CEO decided to move forward and work with us on the data warehouse project.