Coursera is currently offering a whopping 40% discount on the cost of an annual subscription to Coursera Plus. And we've found yet another reason to recommend it - Coursera Coach powered by Google Gemini.

Taking online courses is one of the main ways that developers acquire new skills and Coursera comes as the top choice for career-focused skill acquisition thanks to its world-class academic and industry-recognized credentials.

While you can pay for its courses on a one-off basis, Coursera Plus, which normally costs $59 for a monthly subscription or $399 for an annual one and gives you unlimited access to 10,000+ courses from world-class universities and companies like  Google, Microsoft and IBM in a single, year-long, subscription is ideal for anyone who is a voracious learner.

Not everything in Coursera's catalog is included in Coursera Plus, in particular, degree programs are excluded, but 90% of its learning content is. If you want to know if a course is included in Coursera Plus just look for this badge on its page. 

The 40% discount offer, which is valid only for new Coursera Plus subscribers only and is not available to residents of India will be particularly attractive to those at the beginning of their careers or looking to switch career paths as it covers Google's Career Certificates, see my previous article Google Tackles Skills Gap.

AI is, of course, the hot topic of the moment and whatever stage you are at with your career, Coursera Plus can help you get to grips with AI, keep up with all the latest developments and also to gain a useful credential, see Get AI-Ready With Coursera and AWS Generative AI Professional Certificate On Coursera. 

Generative AI is also used by Coursera to help learners make progress. Coursera Plus subscribers have full access to Coursera Coach, an AI-Powered Learning Assistant now powered by Google Gemini, which offers personalized, in-the-moment educational support in several ways:

• Clarify Complex Concepts: Ask questions anytime to get unstuck. Coach can break down difficult topics with clear, step-by-step explanations, making course concepts more accessible. 

• Generate Summaries: Request concise summaries of video lectures or reading items to quickly grasp key takeaways and improve your note-taking. 

• Practice for Assessments: Ask for practice questions and quizzes to test your understanding, identify knowledge gaps, and build confidence before an official quiz or exam. 

• Apply Learning: Get real-world, professional scenarios and examples to understand how the skills you're learning can be implemented in your current or future job.

• Career Guidance: Coach can help you explore career paths, identify transferable skills, and recommend tailored learning paths based on your experience and goals.

In terms of external validation Coursera Coach was the winner in the “AI Education: Best Outcomes, Commercial Learning” category of the 2025 Newsweek AI Impact Awards for its strategic and ethical use of AI to drive meaningful outcomes.

Coursera has reported an impressive 90% learner satisfaction rating for the Coach chatbot quoting students as saying:

"As I'm learning, Coach can quickly clarify concepts in the moment. It feels as if an instructor is there with me as I go through course materials. This allows me to stay focused on my current learning goals and continue making progress. I feel supported and more productive, and I'm having a lot of fun in the process too."

"Coursera Coach is like having a smart best friend. They completely understand the course and have the patience and intelligence to break it down for you."

Coursera's own research reports that users engaging with it completed 11.6% more course items per hour, indicating increased efficiency and reduced friction in the learning process. 

So Coursera Coach makes a good resource even better and the current discount offer - valid until 1st December but repeated at intervals through the year, make a valuable resource more affordable.

What are you waiting for?

More Information 

Coursera Plus Offer

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