While most 6-year-olds are likely more interested in playing with toys and computer games that learning to programme a computer, Kautilya Katariya, now aged 7, has been officially recognised as the world’s youngest computer programmer after completing our professional certifications from IBM for Python and artificial intelligence.

The Next Web reports that Kautilya, from Northampton, received five certifications in Python and AI from IBM in November 2020. He completed IBM's Foundations of AI professional certification on edX and the Python for Data Science course from IBM Cognitive Class, which has even set a new Guinness World Record.

IBM has reiterated that developers of any age seeking to advance their skills can earn several new professional certificates in areas including cloud and AI, which Kautilya has demonstrated.

“When Kautilya got extra time at home due to the COVID lockdown and holiday cancellation, along with all of his mischief, he immersed himself in the world of tech … to help satisfy his curiosities,” said his dad, Ishwari Katariya.

Mr Katariya called his son a quick and keen learner and said that the courses have helped Kautilya understand complex concepts of computing, programming, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

To begin with, Kautilya studied coding languages such as Python, JavaScript, and supporting HTML, but focussed on Python because he found out that it is the best programming language to learn for AI and machine learning, which took him around six or seven months to master.

Mr Katariya said that as a parent he was incredibly proud of his son, and even more so when he got his name recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.

However, Kautilya isn’t finished. He has now taken six IBM certification courses and earned an IBM Professional Certification for Artificial Intelligence and Applied Data Science with Python, and is currently undertaking two more IBM courses to get another professional certification for 'Applied AI'.

If you’re looking for an online Python coding course, visit our website today.