Google and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) are offering 100,000 artificial intelligence training scholarships. The program covers more than 80 countries and is part of a new international skills partnership.
The scholarships give access to the Google AI Professional Certificate. Training will be delivered through the ITU's AI Skills Coalition, local governments and the Giga network.
The program is open to students, educators, job seekers, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Civil servants and other workers can also take part.
Google says the training does not require any past technology background. It focuses on practical AI skills rather than technical specialization.
Grow with Google Leads the Effort
Grow with Google is leading the company's part of the initiative. The program centers on practical skills, recognized credentials and ways to use AI in everyday work.
Lisa Gevelber, founder of Grow with Google, said on LinkedIn that many people are interested in AI but do not know where to start. She added that "having guidance actually makes people four times more likely to feel confident with these tools."
That figure comes from global research by Google and Ipsos. The study found that hands-on training can make people up to four times more likely to become confident using AI.
Gevelber also said that access to technology alone is not enough. People need the skills and confidence to use it.
Training Built Around Local Needs
The AI Skills Coalition is a partner-led effort under the ITU's AI for Good program. It brings together governments, industry, academia, UN organizations and civil society.
The ITU is the UN agency for digital technologies. Founded in 1865, it has 194 member states and more than 1,000 member companies, universities and organizations.
The new scholarships will join more than 200 courses already in the coalition's training catalog. Countries taking part can shape the programs around their own priorities.
"Local leaders can tailor this training to their workforce priorities; for example helping teachers plan lessons faster, civil servants streamline services, small business owners grow their businesses, and job-seekers find their path," Gevelber wrote.
The partnership also supports the ITU-UNICEF Giga initiative. Giga works with governments to connect schools to the internet and expand access to digital resources.
Google and the ITU plan to track more than how many scholarships are handed out. They will measure activation, participation, completion rates and certificates earned.
They will also track how well the program reaches young people, educators, public servants and job seekers. The groups plan to work with countries to see how learners use their new skills at school, at work and in public services.
The program arrives as the ITU reports a wide digital skills gap. The agency estimates 1.2 billion people still need training to gain basic digital skills, and another 311 million need training to go beyond the basics.
