Photo credit: www.classcentral.com
While detailed earnings for individual partners on Coursera remain somewhat opaque, one partner stands out due to mandatory disclosure practices tied to a conflict of interest. That partner is poised to approach $100 million in sales on the platform.
DeepLearning.AI, founded by Coursera’s co-founder and Board Member Andrew Ng, is projected to reach $100 million in cumulative sales on Coursera by the conclusion of 2025.
This information is derived from the obligatory financial disclosures that Coursera submits to the SEC, detailing related-party transactions within their annual 10-K filings.
As outlined in Coursera’s financial records, DeepLearning.AI has amassed $40 million in revenue by the end of 2024. Given the 50-50 revenue-sharing arrangement between DeepLearning.AI and Coursera, this indicates total sales of $80 million so far.
In 2024, DeepLearning.AI generated $8.6 million in revenue, indicating that the company will likely surpass the $100 million sales threshold sometime in 2025.
From Stanford Machine Learning Course to AI Leader
In August 2011, Andrew Ng, a professor at Stanford, uploaded an introductory video for a free online Machine Learning course on YouTube. This initiative eventually led Ng and his colleague, Daphne Koller, to establish Coursera just months later.
Fast forward six years, Ng introduced the Deep Learning Specialization through his own venture, DeepLearning.AI, having distanced himself from daily operations at Coursera, although he continued as co-chairman of the board.
Originally comprising five courses, the specialization has now expanded to over 150 courses and specializations dedicated to artificial intelligence and machine learning, positioning DeepLearning.AI as a leading content provider on the platform.
Insights into Financial Performance
Through careful examination of Coursera’s annual reports, I have tracked the financial trajectory of DeepLearning.AI over the years. The following are the revenue figures obtained from their related-party transaction disclosures:
DeepLearning.AI revenue over the years:
- 2019: $5.9 million
- 2020: $6.1 million
- 2021: $6.5 million
- 2022: $5.7 million
- 2023: $7.4 million
- 2024: $8.6 million
- Total: $40.2 million
Notably, DeepLearning.AI’s courses are not included in Coursera Plus, the platform’s subscription service, which likely provides them with a more advantageous economic position than other partners.
Considering DeepLearning.AI’s Standing Among Top Partners
According to Coursera’s annual reporting, about 28% of their overall revenue is attributed to a select group of five partners. With Coursera reporting a revenue of $695 million in 2024, these top partners collectively generated roughly $194 million.
Google, known for its popular Professional Certificate programs, is believed to be Coursera’s largest industry partner, with an estimated annual revenue of around $100 million through the platform, as previously detailed in a Class Central analysis.
Given the consistent growth in revenue for DeepLearning.AI, it’s plausible that they have positioned themselves among Coursera’s top revenue-generating partners.
The Move Towards Industry-Focused Content
The success of DeepLearning.AI underscores a shift within Coursera’s business strategy. Recently, the platform has placed greater emphasis on content driven by industry partners, especially in the area of professional certification programs, as opposed to traditional courses offered by universities.
This focus on industry collaboration has significantly contributed to Coursera achieving consumer revenues exceeding $100 million in the third quarter of 2024.
Source
www.classcentral.com