Debbie Weinstein, vice president of Google and general manager of Google UK & Ireland, notes in a blog post: “We have already trained over a million people and businesses across the UK in digital skills and AI, in partnership with governments, unions, NGOs and local communities – and recently launched the AI Works program to discover the most effective ways to accelerate the adoption of AI skills and increase productivity across the United Kingdom.
Various AI training programs
Funded initiatives aim to address the AI skills gap across diverse demographics and regions.
For example, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) will launch the GenerationAI initiative, providing high-quality professional learning in AI nationwide.
The ISTE program will collaborate with several educational institutions and this broad partnership aims to ensure that AI education reaches a wide range of educators and students.
For example, the 4-H organization will focus on students and educators in rural areas, implementing local projects in several states.
This initiative recognizes the importance of bringing AI education to areas that might otherwise be overlooked in technological advancements.
Meanwhile, aiEDU will focus on improving AI knowledge among disadvantaged students, particularly those from rural and indigenous communities.
The organization plans to offer high-quality AI curricula and capacity-building programs tailored to these underserved populations.
For example, to close the gender gap in STEM fields, STEM from Dance will combine AI with dance choreography to attract girls of color to STEM learning.
Additionally, CodePath will offer industry-certified AI courses to underrepresented college computer science students, helping to diversify the future AI workforce at the higher education level.
Global expansion and resources
Google’s AI training initiatives extend beyond the United States.
In the UK, the company launched an AI campus in London and pledged US$1.1 million for national AI induction programs.
The London AI Campus, developed in partnership with Camden Council and Camden Learning, aims to inspire and educate local sixth year students in the field of AI.