AI has seen incredible growth over the past few years, but 2024 was the biggest year of the AI boom. There is no doubt that AI will play a vital role in the future of technology and the world in general. For all the good this can bring, it also presents a new set of problems.
While the possibilities for innovation are exciting, there is also a very real risk that people in vulnerable and underserved communities will be left behind in the face of the rapid explosion of AI development.
This is a result that Google is trying to avoid with its AI Opportunity Initiative Funda program that began in February. In Europe alone, Google estimates that AI has the potential to grow the economy by €1.2 trillion and save the average worker more than 70 hours per year. His fund seeks to exploit this potential and, according to Google, the initiative has already started successfully.
Andréa Willis, communications manager at Google, tells Laptop charger: “The fund (AI Opportunity Initiative) builds on Google’s work to ensure that the opportunities created by technology are truly accessible to everyone. To date, Google has trained more than 100 million people in digital skills in the world.”
Google’s AI Opportunity Initiative makes the future of technology accessible to everyone
Google’s AI Opportunity Initiative is one of the first programs of its kind in the world and certainly one of the most extensive. It funds AI training and skills for people around the world, especially those in underserved and vulnerable communities.
The program was initially launched in Europe, but has since expanded to Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and North Africaand the UNITED STATES. The AI Opportunity Initiative marks a major step forward in ensuring that everyone has the chance to learn about AI and pursue a career in this rapidly developing sector.
Willis highlighted the progress the Initiative has made so far, explaining: “To date, Google has committed $120 million to our Global AI Opportunity Fund. This funding makes AI education and training available in communities around the world.
To date, Google has committed $120 million to our global AI opportunity funds.
Andréa Willis, Google communications manager
To continue teaching AI, Google has expanded its Grow with Google Basic AI courses, making them available in more languages. The self-paced basic course is available for individuals, teens, educators, and businesses. It introduces the fundamental concepts of AI while showing learners how they can already use AI through applications to improve productivity and simplify everyday tasks.
In addition to online courses, Google also works with existing local nonprofits and NGOs to help provide personalized support to communities from those who understand them best, using local languages and even providing support services. child care to further eliminate barriers to learning.
The new initiative isn’t just for individuals, as Google has also introduced Google for Startups Growth Academies, equity-free programs available to startups looking to use AI to solve societal problems in health, education and cybersecurity. Google provides guidance to grow their business, expand their user base and even helps them access global markets through the use of Google’s infostructure.
Individual funds for each world region have unique objectives and partners tailored to that region. However, the overall theme of the program is to enable people to benefit from the economic opportunities created by AI by equipping them with technical skills that would otherwise be difficult, if not impossible, to access.
Ensuring the AI boom is a wave that lifts all boats
As AI increasingly makes its way into our daily lives and the technologies we rely on, it becomes a treasure trove of economic opportunities. The AI boom could have a monumental positive impact on the lives of countless people, not only through its applications, but also through the tech jobs it can create (and those it could consume ). This is why funding for AI education is incredibly powerful right now.
Google’s AI Opportunity Initiative does not claim to be a one-stop solution for global AI training, but it does provide an essential condition for it to flourish: funding. This demonstrates that Google recognizes the value of education in transforming people’s lives through technology.
This is also just the beginning, and I’m sure we’ll see many more funding programs like Google’s AI Opportunity Initiative in the future. The Dot Com bubble has sparked a wave of interest in learning about technology and the Internet, to the point that starting in 2023, more than 57% of American high schools offer computer courses.
We could easily see a similar explosion in the growth of AI education. What sets Google’s program apart is its goal: to ensure that everyone benefits from the opportunities that AI offers. After all, the more people who participate in building this technology, the better it can serve us all in the years to come.
As Google noted in a February press release“For AI to benefit everyone, it must be built by and accessible to everyone.”
If you’re an AI enthusiast or average AI tinkerer (or just looking for some of the extra features offered through Windows Copilot+ PCs or Apple Intelligence on Mac), then you’ll need a powerful and capable laptop to meet your needs.
HAS Laptop chargerWe review laptops throughout the year to ensure we provide you with up-to-date, expert-backed recommendations on which laptop is best for you. When it comes to best AI PC category, our top picks are the excellent Asus ZenBook S 14 (UX5406) for Windows users and Apple awesomeness MacBook Air M3 for those using macOS.
So if you’re shopping for a new laptop and looking to invest in an AI PC (or just a great laptop in general), check out our current top picks below.
The Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) has quickly become our favorite AI PC laptop of the year, offering all the features of a good buy, including exceptional performance and battery life. This laptop is one of the first to feature a Intel Core Ultra 200V series processor and at just $1,499 (MSRP), you get a fantastic power balance, a stunning 14-inch OLED display, effortless multitasking, NPU-enhanced performance for AI tasks, and all the features Additional Copilot+ available with Windows 11.
We love the MacBook Air 13 M3. Starting at just $1,099 (MSRP), with the education price dropping to $999 (MSRP), the Air is a laptop we can recommend for just about any use. It’s affordable, especially by Apple standards, and has a great keyboard, fantastic performance, and exceptional endurance (over 15 hours of battery life), making it a great laptop for almost anyone. needs, especially those who want to get up to speed with all the latest Apple Intelligence features.