MIT's classic artificial-intelligence course, taught by the late Patrick Winston, free on OpenCourseWare. It covers the foundations — search, constraints, reasoning and core machine learning — with famously clear lectures. It predates the deep-learning era, so treat it as foundations rather than the latest methods.
Good for: Learners who want the timeless foundations of AI, clearly explained.
Less suitable if: You want current deep-learning or large-language-model techniques, or you need a certificate.
Requirements: Some programming and maths; intermediate level.
Realistic time: About 38 hours of lectures, plus reading.
About this course
MIT 6.034 with Patrick Winston is one of the most beloved AI courses in existence — Winston was the director of MIT's AI Lab for many years and taught this course until his death in 2019, leaving behind lectures that are simultaneously rigorous and genuinely funny. The course covers AI's classical foundations: search algorithms (A*, minimax), constraint satisfaction, rule-based systems, machine learning fundamentals, genetic algorithms, neural networks, and language.
What you'll learn
Apply search algorithms including A* and adversarial minimax
Solve constraint satisfaction problems
Understand and implement basic machine learning algorithms
Apply symbolic AI methods including rule-based systems
Understand neural networks, language processing, and genetic algorithms
This course includes
38h
On-demand video
Yes
Mobile access
English
Language
What it costs
Completely free through MIT OpenCourseWare, including lectures and materials. There is no certificate.
Comparison · LBS
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Price
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Completely free, openly licensed — no certificate
Duration
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Level
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Certificate
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Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate
Taught by Patrick Winston, Ford Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science at MIT and former Director of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, known for his charismatic and intellectually rich teaching style.
About this provider
MO
MIT OpenCourseWare
MIT OpenCourseWare — free, openly licensed course materials from MIT's actual courses, including lecture notes, problem sets, and exams. No certificate.
Yes for the foundations. The core ideas — search, reasoning, classic machine learning — remain valuable, and Patrick Winston's lectures are exceptionally clear.
Only lightly. It predates the deep-learning era, so pair it with a modern course for current methods.
No. OpenCourseWare provides the materials free but does not certify completion.
Completely. All lectures and materials are open.
Some programming and maths. It is pitched at intermediate level.