Debbie Weinstein, Vice President of Google and Managing Director of Google UK & Ireland notes in a blogpost: “We have already trained more than one million people and businesses across the UK in digital and AI skills, partnering with governments, trade unions, NGOs and local communities — and recently launched the AI works programme to uncover the most effective ways to accelerate the uptake of AI skills and boost productivity across the UK.”
Diverse AI education programmes
The funded initiatives aim to address the AI skills gap across various demographics and regions.
For instance, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) will launch the GenerationAI initiative, offering high-quality AI professional learning nationwide.
ISTE’s programme will collaborate with several educational institutions and this broad partnership aims to ensure that AI education reaches a diverse range of educators and students.
For instance, the 4-H organisation will focus on students and educators in rural areas, implementing local projects across several states.
This initiative recognises the importance of bringing AI education to areas that might otherwise be overlooked in technological advancements.
Meanwhile, aiEDU will concentrate on enhancing AI literacy among disadvantaged students, particularly those in rural and indigenous communities.
The organisation plans to deliver high-quality AI curriculum and capacity-building programmes tailored to these underserved populations.
For example, to address the gender gap in STEM fields, STEM from Dance will combine AI with dance choreography to attract girls of colour to STEM learning.
Additionally, CodePath will provide industry-certified AI courses for underrepresented university computer science students, helping to diversify the future AI workforce at the higher education level.
Global expansion and resources
Google’s AI education initiatives extend beyond the US.
In the UK, the company has launched an AI Campus in London and pledged US$1.1m for nationwide AI literacy programmes.
The London AI Campus, developed in partnership with Camden Council and Camden Learning, aims to inspire and educate local sixth form students in the field of AI.