As an incoming Physics major with plans to double major in CS or Statistics + ML, I’ve been trying to stay productive over the summer by taking online courses and working on project-based tutorials. I’ve been wondering, are AI/ML certificates and small projects actually useless? I know certifications don’t carry much weight by themselves, especially for jobs, but I’m hoping the hands-on work will help me build real understanding and intuition in AI/ML.
I enjoy learning the concepts, even if they’re surface-level for now. But surely, these things alone won’t land me a job or internship. I’d love to hear from others who started out in a similar way. Is this a decent use of time, or should I pivot to something else?
The thing is, I don’t want to quit the course just because it’s not ‘prestigious.’ I’m hoping that the capstone projects and hands-on work will help me build a strong foundation in AI/ML. And who knows, maybe these small projects will lead to something bigger in the future.
What do you think? Are AI/ML certificates and small projects actually worthless, or is there value in them?