When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 2 modules in this course
Optimize Agentic AI: Algorithms for Peak Performance is an intermediate course for AI practitioners and engineers aiming to build fast, scalable, and responsive agentic systems. In the real world, an AI agent's intelligence is useless if it is too slow. This course equips learners with the tools to diagnose and solve these critical performance bottlenecks.
You will learn to master essential algorithm optimization techniques, moving beyond slow, brute-force methods. Through hands-on labs, you will replace baseline planners with sophisticated informed search algorithms such as beam search and quantitatively measure the dramatic improvements in planning time. You will also learn to analyze the computational complexity of multi-tool reasoning pipelines using Big-O notation, using profilers to pinpoint the exact functions and data structures that create system slowdowns. By the end of the course, you will not only be able to implement critical optimizations—such as using an index to reduce complexity from O(n²) to O(log n)—but also to write a professional technical proposal to justify your engineering decisions.
This module moves beyond basic search methods to teach you how to implement and measure the impact of sophisticated planning algorithms. You will learn why brute-force search fails at scale and how to replace it with an informed algorithm such as beam search. By the end, you will be able to quantitatively measure the performance gains from your optimization, directly addressing the first core job task.
What's included
2 videos2 readings1 assignment1 ungraded lab
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 13 minutes
A* vs. Beam Search: Choosing the Right Tool•7 minutes
In this module, you will learn to diagnose the hidden costs in an agent's reasoning process. You will master the use of Big-O notation to analyze complexity and use profiling tools to pinpoint the exact source of a bottleneck. You will then apply this analysis to implement a data structure optimization that dramatically improves performance, preparing you to write and submit your final optimization project.
What's included
2 videos2 readings2 assignments1 ungraded lab
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 11 minutes
A Visual Guide to Big-O Notation•5 minutes
How to Profile Code and Find a Bottleneck?•6 minutes
2 readings•Total 11 minutes
Case Study: The Real-World Cost of Inefficiency•5 minutes
Anatomy of an Optimization Proposal•6 minutes
2 assignments•Total 40 minutes
Submit Your Optimization Project•30 minutes
Knowledge Check: Complexity Concepts•10 minutes
1 ungraded lab•Total 15 minutes
From Quadratic to Indexed: Kill the O(n²) Bottleneck•15 minutes
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Coursera brings together a diverse network of subject matter experts who have demonstrated their expertise through professional industry experience or strong academic backgrounds. These instructors design and teach courses that make practical, career-relevant skills accessible to learners worldwide.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.