Microsoft to offer free AI training to one million people in Poland

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Notes from Poland is managed by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, nonprofit foundation funded by donations from our readers. We can’t do what we do without your support.

Microsoft has announced an initiative to train one million people in Poland in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by the end of 2025. The program will be delivered through a catalog of free online courses.

The initiative builds on Microsoft’s investment in the “Polish Digital Valley”what was announced in 2020 and saw the opening of the software giant’s first cloud data center in the region, as well as the training of more than 430,000 IT specialists, professionals, and students.

Training courses are available in Polish and other languages ​​on Microsoft’s AI Skills Navigator learning center, where an AI assistant will direct users to learning resources tailored to their skill and knowledge level.

The courses are aimed at beginners and advanced users, including developers and business leaders looking to integrate AI capabilities into their organizations. The platform – which offers more than 200 courses – includes an assessment tool to help learners assess their skills and identify areas for development.

Microsoft is committed to regularly updating the learning center with new content to meet user needs and has partnered with universities, NGOs and technology communities to help expand the program’s reach.

“To benefit from AI, people need the skills to use it,” said Brad Smith, vice president and president of Microsoft, quoted in a press release. “This new investment in AI skills will help ensure that Poles can harness this transformative technology across the economy. »

The company highlighted the growing need for AI skills in Poland. He pointed to a study from International Data Corporation (IDC), a technology market research firm, that shows 77% of organizations nationwide are using or planning to implement AI in the next 12 months.

At the same time, the annual Work Trend Index from Microsoft and LinkedIn reveals that 53% of Polish business leaders would not hire candidates without AI skills, the company said. Additionally, 55% would prefer a less experienced candidate with AI knowledge over a more experienced person without these skills.

Currently, 61% of employees in Poland say they use AI tools at work, compared to a global figure of 75%, the company said, citing the same study.

In July, Google and Spanish bank Santander announced a similar AI training program, also available in Poland. It is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese and teaches users the basics of AI as well as its personal and professional applications, including automating tasks and improving efficiency.

Microsoft’s announcement follows Poland’s increased efforts to facilitate the adoption of AI by businesses and public entities in the country.

Earlier this month, the Polish government announced plans to invest 1 billion zloty (232 million euros) in the development of AI, including the development of a large Polish language model. He also pledged to establish an artificial intelligence fund and council to oversee investments and activities in the field of AI in Poland.

Last year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with then-Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to discuss, among other things, how Polish companies could participate in AI development. He said Poland “would be an interesting location” for the company’s new European office.

Notes from Poland is managed by a small editorial team and published by an independent, nonprofit foundation funded by donations from our readers. We can’t do what we do without your support.

Main image credit: keso s / flickr.com (below CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)