Udacity

Udacity is the outgrowth of free computer science classes offered in 2011 through Stanford University.{{cite news |title=Professor leaving Stanford for online education startup |url= http://www.nbcnews.com/id/46138856 |newspaper= NBC News |date= 25 January 2012 |access-date=25 January 2012}}{{dead link|date=August 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Thrun has stated he hopes half a million students will enroll, after an enrollment of 160,000 students in the predecessor course at Stanford, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence,[https://www.ai-class.com/ Introduction to Artificial Intelligence] and 90,000 students had enrolled in the initial two classes {{As of|2012|03|lc=on}}.{{cite news |title= Professor Departs Stanford U., Hoping to Teach 500,000 Students at Online Start-Up |first= Nick |last=DeSantis |url= http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/tenured-professor-departs-stanford-u-hoping-to-teach-500000-students-at-online-start-up/35135 |newspaper= Chronicle of Higher Education |date= 23 January 2012 |access-date=25 January 2012}}{{cite news |title= Instruction for Masses Knocks Down Campus Walls |first=Tamar |last=Lewin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/05/education/moocs-large-courses-open-to-all-topple-campus-walls.html |newspaper = New York Times |date= 4 March 2012 |access-date=20 March 2012}} Udacity was announced at the 2012 Digital Life Design conference.{{cite news |title= Udacity and the future of online universities |first=Felix |last=Salmon |url= http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/01/23/udacity-and-the-future-of-online-universities/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120124220201/http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/01/23/udacity-and-the-future-of-online-universities/ |url-status= dead |archive-date= 24 January 2012 |newspaper= Reuters.com |date=23 January 2012 |access-date=25 January 2012}} Udacity is funded by venture capital firm, Charles River Ventures, and $200,000 of Thrun's personal money. In October 2012, the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz led the investment of another $15 million in Udacity.{{cite news |title= Startup Udacity Builds Bankroll For Online Learning |first=Don |last=Clark |url= https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/10/25/startup-udacity-builds-bankroll-for-online-learning/ |newspaper= Wall Street Journal |date=25 October 2012 |access-date=4 January 2013}} In November 2013, Thrun announced in a Fast Company article that Udacity had a "lousy product" and that the service was pivoting to focus more on vocational courses for professionals{{cite news|last=Chafkin|first=Max|title=UDACITY'S SEBASTIAN THRUN, GODFATHER OF FREE ONLINE EDUCATION, CHANGES COURSE|url=http://www.fastcompany.com/3021473/udacity-sebastian-thrun-uphill-climb|access-date=20 December 2013|newspaper=Fast Company}} and "nanodegrees."{{Cite web|url=http://recode.net/2015/10/30/udacity-online-school-from-google-x-founder-crosses-milestone-after-switching-direction/|title=Udacity, Online School from Google X Founder, Crosses Milestone After Switching Direction|date=30 October 2015}}

In 2014, the Georgia Institute of Technology launched the first "massive online open degree" in computer science by partnering with Udacity and AT&T; a complete master's degree through that program costs students $7,000.{{cite news|title=Georgia Tech, Udacity Shock Higher Ed With $7,000 Degree|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/troyonink/2013/05/15/georgia-tech-udacity-shock-higher-ed-with-7000-degree/|access-date=2013-05-15|work=Forbes}}{{cite news|title=Proving Grounds for a New Model for Higher Education|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/zvi-galil/proving-grounds-for-a-new_b_5899762.html|access-date=2014-09-29|work=Huffington Post}}{{cite magazine|title=The $7,000 Computer Science Degree — and the Future of Higher Education|url=https://business.time.com/2013/05/21/the-7000-computer-science-degree-and-the-future-of-higher-education/|access-date=2013-05-21|magazine=Time}}{{cite news | title = What Color Is Your Online Adult Course? | date = 2014-03-17 | publisher = NY Times | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/18/education/what-color-is-your-online-adult-course.html| access-date = 2016-01-11}}

In October 2017, Udacity along with Unity, launched ‘Learn ARKit’ program which could help developers improve their AR application building skills.{{Cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/udacity-launches-new-learn-arkit-program-ties-up-with-unity-for-expanded-vr/ar-content/articleshow/60949095.cms|title=Udacity launches new 'Learn ARKit' program; ties up with Unity for expanded VR/AR content|date=2017-10-05|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2017-10-05}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.techrepublic.com/article/udacity-unity-launch-new-200-developer-training-course-for-apples-arkit/|title=Udacity, Unity launch new $200 developer training course for Apple's ARKit|work=TechRepublic|access-date=2017-10-05|language=en}} In the same month, Google partnered with Udacity to launch a new scholarship initiative for aspiring Web and Android application developers.{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/udacity-to-focus-on-individual-student-projects/articleshow/60963078.cms|title=Udacity to focus on individual student projects|last=Khosla|first=Varuni|date=2017-10-06|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2017-11-01}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.eweek.com/development/google-udacity-to-award-50-000-scholarships-to-aspiring-developers|title=Google, Udacity to Award 50,000 Scholarships to Aspiring Developers|work=eWEEK|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/internet/news/google-usd-1-billion-non-profit-education-grow-coursera-udacity-goodwill-1762506|title=Google Pledges $1 Billion to Fund Non-Profit Education|work=NDTV Gadgets360.com|access-date=2017-11-01|language=en}}

While not yet profitable as of February 2018, Udacity was valued at over $1 billion having raised $163 million from noted investors included Andreessen Horowitz, Drive Capital, and Alphabet's venture capital arm, GV.{{citation|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-udacity-revenue/udacity-with-eye-to-eventual-ipo-says-revenue-more-than-doubled-in-2017-idUSKCN1GB2E2|title=Udacity, with eye to eventual IPO, says revenue more than doubled in 2017|first=Somerville|last=Heather|date=2018-02-27|publisher= The Reuters}}

In March 2024, Accenture announced its acquisition of Udacity, which would help support its AI-powered LearnVantage suite, to equip clients with the resources to reskill and upskill their workforce.{{Cite web |last=Brady |first=Diane |date=5 March 2024 |title=Accenture CEO Julie Sweet shares why her firm is acquiring Udacity to launch an AI-powered training platform |url=https://fortune.com/2024/03/05/accenture-ceo-julie-sweet-udacity-deal-acquisition-ai/ |work=Fortune}}{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Ron |date=5 March 2024 |title=Accenture to acquire Udacity to build a learning platform focused on AI |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/05/accenture-to-acquire-udacity-to-build-a-learning-platform-focused-on-ai/ |website=TechCrunch}}

The first two courses on Udacity started on 20 February 2012,{{cite news |title= Robotics Mastermind takes Education Online |first= Blake |last= Graham |url= http://theairspace.net/events/robotic-mastermind/ |newspaper= The Airspace |date= 24 January 2012 |access-date= 28 January 2012 |archive-date= 29 June 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170629054236/http://theairspace.net/events/robotic-mastermind/ |url-status= dead }} entitled "CS 101: Building a Search Engine", taught by David Evans from the University of Virginia, and "CS 373: Programming a Robotic Car" taught by Thrun. Both courses use Python.

Four more courses began on 16 April 2012, encompassing a range of ability and subject matter, with teachers including Steve Huffman and Peter Norvig. Five new courses were announced on 31 May 2012,{{cite web |url = http://udacity.blogspot.com/2012/05/udacity-expands-course-offerings-five.html |title = Udacity expands course offerings: Five premiere classes will include physics and mathematics}} and marked the first time Udacity offered courses outside the domain of computer science. Four of these courses launched at the start of the third "hexamester", on 25 June 2012. One course, Logic & Discrete Mathematics: Foundations of Computing, was delayed for several weeks before an email announcement was sent out on 14 August stating that the course would not be launched, although no further explanation was provided.{{Cite web |title=Udacity Cancels Free Online Math Course, Citing Low Quality |url=https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/udacity-cancels-free-online-math-course-citing-lack-of-quality |website=The Chronicle}}

On 23 August 2012, a new course in entrepreneurship, EP245 taught by retired serial entrepreneur Steve Blank, was announced.{{cite web |url = http://blog.udacity.com/2012/08/udacity-august-newsletter-all-latest.html |title = Udacity August Newsletter: All the latest updates straight to your inbox!|date = 24 August 2012}} Four new specialized CS courses were announced as part of collaboration with Google, Nvidia, Microsoft, Autodesk, Cadence Design Systems, and Wolfram Research on 18 October 2012, to be launched in early 2013.{{cite web |url = http://blog.udacity.com/2012/10/four-new-classes.html |title = Four New Classes! |date=2012-10-18}} On 28 November 2012, Thrun's original AI-class from 2011 was relaunched as a course at Udacity, CS271.{{cite web |url = http://blog.udacity.com/2012/11/ai-class-now-on-udacity.html |title = The Original, Free Online AI Class, now on Udacity! |date = 2012-11-28 |access-date=2012-11-29 }}

Udacity announced a partnership with San Jose State University (SJSU) on 15 January 2013 to pilot three new courses—two algebra courses and an introductory statistics course (ST095)--available for college credit at SJSU for the Spring 2013 semester and offered entirely online.{{cite web |url = http://blog.udacity.com/2013/01/sebastian-thrun-udacity-announces-for.html |title = Sebastian Thrun: Udacity Announces For-Credit Course Pilot with San Jose State University |date = 2013-01-15 |access-date=2013-01-15 }}{{cite web |url = http://www.sjsu.edu/plus/ |title = San Jose State Plus |date = 2013-01-15 |access-date=2013-01-15 }} 300 SJSU students had the opportunity to enroll for 3 units of college credit at a fixed cost of $150. Additionally, like other MOOCs, anyone could enroll anytime for free.

This first pilot resulted in pass rates below the traditional in-person SJSU class for all three courses. One hypothesis was that many of the students who had enrolled online had already taken and failed the traditional course, and therefore were likely to fail again. The pilot was repeated in the summer semester with an increased enrollment cap of 1000. In addition, the pilot was expanded to include two new courses, Intro to Programming (CS046) and General Psychology (PS001).{{cite web|url=http://blog.udacity.com/2013/04/sebastian-thrun-expanding-college.html|title=Sebastian Thrun: Expanding College Credit Pilot this Summer!|date=2013-04-15|access-date=2013-04-19}} This time, pass rates for the statistics, college algebra, and programming courses exceeded those of the traditional face-to-face course.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/08/28/californias-online-college-pilot-proves-successful-after-poor-results-in-1st-semester/|title=Udacity And San Jose State See Improvement In Their Online Education Experiment [Updated]|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-13}}

Despite this, the partnership was suspended on 18 July 2013.{{cite web |url = http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/07/19/san_jose_state_suspends_udacity_online_classes_after_students_fail_final.html |title = University Suspends Online Classes After More Than Half the Students Fail |date = 2013-07-19 |access-date=2013-08-01}}

In June 2014, Udacity and AT&T announced the "Nanodegree" program, designed to teach programming skills needed to qualify for an entry-level IT position at AT&T. The coursework is said to take less than a year to complete, and cost about US$200/month. AT&T said it will offer paid internships to some graduates of the program.{{cite news | url=https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/06/16/udacity-att-team-up-in-online-ed/ | title=Udacity, AT&T Team Up in Online Ed - Digits - WSJ | newspaper=Wall Street Journal | date=16 June 2014 | publisher=blog.wsj.com | access-date=September 8, 2014| last1=Winkler | first1=Rolfe }}{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/18/business/economy/udacity-att-nanodegree-offers-an-entry-level-approach-to-college.html?_r=0 | title=Udacity-AT&T 'NanoDegree' Offers an Entry-Level Approach to College | work=The New York Times |date=June 17, 2014 | access-date=September 8, 2014}}“We can’t turn you into a Nobel laureate,” Mr. Thrun said to a learner. “But what we can do is something like upskilling — you’re a smart person, but the skills you have are inadequate for the current job market, or don’t let you get the job you aspire to have. We can help you get those skills.”{{Citation|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/17/technology/udacity-says-it-can-teach-tech-skills-to-millions.html|title=Udacity Says It Can Teach Tech Skills to Millions, and Fast|last=Manjoo|first=Farhad|date=2015-09-16|work=The New York Times}}

A cybersecurity nanodegree was announced at the RSA Conference in April 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/04/22/udacity-tackles-cybersecurity-with-its-latest-nanodegree/|title=Udacity tackles cybersecurity with its latest nanodegree|last=Shieber|first=Jonathan|date=2018-04-22|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2018-04-24|publisher=Oath Inc.}} As of the beginning of 2022, Udacity offered 78 nanodegrees.{{Cite web|date=2021-08-25|title=Everything You Need to Know About Udacity|url=https://pathways2advancement.org/education-providers/udacity/|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Pathways to Advancement|language=en-US}}

Each course consists of several units comprising video lectures with closed captioning, in conjunction with integrated quizzes to help students understand concepts and reinforce ideas, as well as follow-up homework, which promotes a "learn by doing" model.,[https://www.udacity.com/faq Udacity General FAQ][https://self-starters.com/udacity-review/ Udacity Review] Programming classes use the Python language; programming assignments are graded by automated grading programs on the Udacity servers.

Over the first several months of Udacity's existence, enrollment for each class was cut off on the due date of the first homework assignment, and the courses were re-offered each {{not a typo|hexamester}}. Since August 2012, all courses have been "open enrollment"; students can enroll in one or more courses at any time after a course is launched. All course lectures and problem sets are available upon enrollment and can then be completed at the student's preferred pace.

Udacity had students in 203 countries in the summer of 2012, with the greatest number of students in the United States (42 percent), India (7 percent), Britain (5 percent), and Germany (4 percent).{{cite news |newspaper= Chronicle of Higher Education

|url= http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/coursera-hits-1-million-students-with-udacity-close-behind/38801 |title=Coursera hits 1 million students, with Udacity close behind |first=Jeffrey |last=Young

|date=10 August 2012 |access-date=7 December 2012}} Udacity students for CS101 range from 13-year-olds to 80-year-olds.{{cite news |title= A First for Udacity: a U.S. University Will Accept Transfer Credit for One of Its Courses |newspaper= Chronicle of Higher Education |url=http://chronicle.com/article/A-First-for-Udacity-Transfer/134162/ |first=Katherine |last=Mangan |date=6 August 2012 |access-date=7 December 2012}} Advanced 13-year-olds are able to complete multiple, higher-level computer science courses on Udacity.{{cite news |title=Peter Norvig and Udacity host 13-year-old student |newspaper=Udacity blog |url=http://blog.udacity.com/2012/08/13-year-old-student-visits-udacity-team.html

|date=27 August 2012 |access-date=7 December 2012}}

Udacity used to issue certificates of completion of individual courses,{{Cite web |url=http://blog.udacity.com/2012/08/tell-world-you-took-udacity-class.html |title=Udacity Blog: Finished your final? Get an official Udacity certificate |access-date=2016-02-02 |archive-date=2016-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203124516/http://blog.udacity.com/2012/08/tell-world-you-took-udacity-class.html |url-status=dead }} but since May 2014 has stopped offering free non-identity-verified certificates.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140419045000/http://blog.udacity.com/2014/04/phasing-out-certificates-of-free16.html Phasing out certificates of free courseware completion] In addition, beginning 24 August 2012, through partnership with electronic testing company Pearson VUE, students of CS101 can elect to take an additional proctored 75-minute final exam for a fee of $89 in an effort to allow Udacity classes to "count towards a credential that is recognized by employers".{{cite web |title=Udacity in partnership with Pearson VUE announces testing centers |url= http://blog.udacity.com/2012/06/udacity-in-partnership-with-pearson-vue.html |date = 2012-06-01}}{{cite web |title=Proctored exam for Intro to Computer Science now available |url= http://blog.udacity.com/2012/08/proctored-exam-in-basic-python-and.html |date = 2012-08-24}}

Further plans announced for certification options would include a "secured online examination" as a less expensive alternative to the in-person proctored exams.

Colorado State University's Global Campus began offering transfer credit for the introductory computer science course (CS101) for Udacity students that take the final examination through a secure testing facility.{{cite news | title = CSU forging smart partnerships in online studies | date = 27 October 2012 | publisher = Gannett | url = http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20121027/OPINION01/310270029/CSU-forging-smart-partnerships-online-studies | work = Coloradoan.com | access-date = 2012-11-19}}

In 2015, Udacity started the Nanodegree program,{{cite news | url = https://onlinecourseing.com/udacity-cloud-developer-nanodegree-review-2020/ | title=Udacity Cloud Developer Nanodegree Review 2020 | work = onlinecourseing.com | date = 1 July 2020 | publisher = Akshay Vikhe}} it is a paid credential program. Udacity also offers Nanodegree plus, which is a bit more expensive, but guarantees a job, if they fail to provide a job, the course fee is returned, although it plans to cancel the program.{{Cite web|url=http://blog.udacity.com/2016/07/nanodegree-101.html|title=Nanodegree 101: What is a Nanodegree Program?|date=28 July 2016}}

In November 2012, founder Sebastian Thrun won the Smithsonian American Ingenuity in Education Award for his work with Udacity.{{cite news |title= Sebastian Thrun wins Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award in Education for Udacity work!

|newspaper=Udacity blog

|url=http://blog.udacity.com/2012/11/sebastian-thrun-wins-smithsonian.html |first=Clarissa |last= Shen

|date=26 November 2012 |access-date=7 December 2012}}{{cite news |title= How Artificial Intelligence Can Change Higher Education

|newspaper=Smithsonian Magazine

|url=http://www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/How-Artificial-Intelligence-Can-Change-Higher-Education-180015811.html?c=y&page=1

|first=Tom |last= Vanderbilt

|date=December 2012 |access-date=7 December 2012}}

In April 2017, Udacity announced a spin-off venture called Voyage Auto, a self-driving car taxi company to compete with the likes of the Uber ride-hailing service.{{cite news |title=Udacity self-driving taxi spin-off Voyage takes aim at Uber |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-tech-voyage/udacity-self-driving-taxi-spin-off-voyage-takes-aim-at-uber-idUSKBN1782ST |website=Reuters |date=6 April 2017 |access-date=2 August 2018}} The company has been testing its project, based on production consumer vehicles, on low-speed private roads in a retirement community in San Jose, California.{{cite web |last1=Etherington |first1=Darrell |title=Udacity spin-out Voyage is testing self-driving cars in retirement communities |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/04/udacity-spin-out-voyage-is-testing-self-driving-cars-in-retirement-communities/ |website=TechCrunch |access-date=2 August 2018}} In 2018, Voyage announced a ride-hailing partnership with The Villages, Florida, another retirement community.{{Cite web|url=https://news.voyage.auto/self-driving-cars-in-a-city-like-no-other-c9b38807a9a6|title=Self-Driving Cars in a City Like No Other|last=Cameron|first=Oliver|date=2018-01-10|website=Voyage|access-date=2019-07-30}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/business/2019/02/21/why-retired-people-could-be-ideal-customers-for-self-driving-cars|title=Why retired people could be ideal customers for self-driving cars|date=2019-02-21|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=2019-07-31|issn=0013-0613}} In March 2021, Voyage was acquired by Cruise.{{Cite web |last=Korosec |first=Kirsten |date=2021-03-15 |title=Cruise acquires self-driving startup Voyage |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/15/cruise-acquires-self-driving-startup-voyage/ |access-date=2021-03-15 |website=TechCrunch}}

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