Introduction to Large Language Models
IBM SkillsBuild
Last updated June 19, 2026
Introduction to Large Language Models is a 90-minute lesson from IBM SkillsBuild on putting large language models to work in real situations such as customer service and content creation. Rather than dwelling on theory, it focuses on what these models are good for, how to recognize the right job for them, and how to guide them well. You work with IBM's Granite family of models and finish with a simulation crafting a product blog post using Granite. It also appears as a module within the "Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence" plan, so on its own it carries no separate credential.
What you'll learn
- The main real-world uses of large language models, such as customer service and content
- How to recognize which tasks a large language model fits
- The IBM Granite family of models and what the different ones do
- Effective prompting techniques for guiding a model's output
- A simulation: writing a product blog post with IBM Granite
Frequently asked questions about Introduction to Large Language Models
Who is Introduction to Large Language Models for?
Anyone who knows of large language models and wants a practical sense of what they're good for and how to prompt them.
Is Introduction to Large Language Models free?
Yes — Introduction to Large Language Models is completely free to take.
What are the prerequisites for Introduction to Large Language Models?
None; no programming required. Starting the course needs a free IBM account.
Why we suggest this course
For someone who's heard of large language models and wants the practical layer: which tasks they suit, and how prompting changes what you get back. The hands-on Granite simulation makes it concrete. One thing to know: this lesson is also a module within our suggested "Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence" plan, so if you're working through that you don't need to take it separately. It's free, with a free IBM account.