Coursera’s CEO says leveraging AI in online learning is key to a more accessible, flexible education experience in 2024

One of the biggest players in the online learning space is Coursera. It is more than just a place to learn, though—it’s a platform that is home to thousands of learning opportunities ranging from hour-long introductory courses all the way to master’s degrees from Ivy League institutions like the University of Pennsylvania.  

During 2020, the company saw its learner base nearly double—from 47 million to 77 million. Today, it boasts more than 129 million registered learners. Just in the last six months, Coursera established two new online programs with two top schools: A master’s degree in engineering from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree in computer engineering from Dartmouth.

Looking toward 2024, Coursera hopes only to grow in terms of number of learners as well as course offerings and partnerships, according to the company’s CEO, Jeff Maggioncalda. He says that Coursera’s mission to educate everybody in the world, through a platform-based business model, is the best solution out there to address the challenges that higher education and adult learning faces. 

Using AI to increase accessibility

This time last year, fears about the power of AI—particularly ChatGPT and generative AI—had many in the edtech space on edge, with concerns about cheating on coursework as well as the replacement of workers and teachers top of mind. And while some worries do remain, using AI for good is now largely a focus, with many companies, including Coursera—using the tool to make learning more inclusive. 

“COVID was a huge part of addressing the need for flexibility, affordability, and universal…