Getting Started: GenAI & LLMs
Orient yourself before the deep dives. Build an accurate mental model of what generative AI and large language models actually are, how they are trained, how they differ from each other, and how to run one yourself.
What you will be able to do
- Explain what generative AI and LLMs are in plain language
- Describe the stages that turn raw text into a usable model
- Tell reasoning models apart from standard chat models
- Compare leading models and run an open model locally
What is Generative AI?
BeginnerStart with the big picture: what generative AI is, where LLMs sit within it, and the kinds of problems it is and is not good at.
20 min3 resources · 1 videoHow LLMs Work
BeginnerA grounded walkthrough of how an LLM is built: pre-training on huge text corpora, supervised fine-tuning, and reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF).
1 hr3 resources · 2 videosReasoning Models vs Standard LLMs
BeginnerNewer reasoning models think step by step before answering. Learn what changes under the hood and when a reasoning model is worth the extra latency and cost.
15 min2 resources · 1 videoThe Model Landscape
BeginnerGet a feel for the current field of models and how to compare them on quality, speed, context length, and price instead of relying on hype.
15 min3 resources · 1 videoRun an LLM Locally
BeginnerRun open models on your own machine with Ollama. Useful for private experimentation, offline work, and understanding the cost difference versus hosted APIs.
20 min3 resources · 1 video
Put it to work
Apply what you learned by building real projects.
Test your thinking
Challenge yourself with scenario-based questions. Need 80% to mark complete.