Here's what to know about Google, Adobe, and IBM's efforts to help millions acquire AI skills.

Google.org's $75 million AI Opportunity Fund will provide $15 million in new grants to two nonprofit organizations, The Partnership for Public Service and InnovateUS, on Oct. 16. These grants aim to help upskill the U.S. workforce.

The Partnership for Public Service will receive a $10 million grant to establish the Center for Federal AI in the spring of 2025, as announced in a press release. The center aims to provide a federal artificial intelligence leadership program to enhance the knowledge of government employees on how to assess AI applications and improve their AI literacy.

The nonprofit intends to launch an internship program that will educate students on responsible AI implementation in the federal government, as stated on its website.

InnovateUS, a nonprofit that offers free AI courses and workshops to public sector workers, will receive the remaining $5 million to expand its reach from 50,000 government workers in 15 states to 100,000 government workers in more than 30 states.

In September, Google pledged to invest $25 million in nonprofits across the U.S. to enhance educators and students' knowledge of AI literacy and generative AI tools.

At the same time that major tech companies, including Google, are investing in increasing the American workforce's AI literacy, they are also developing their own AI tools.

Adobe, IBM and others have also invested in AI education

Adobe, like Google, is striving to close the AI skills gap by training 30 million individuals in AI, digital marketing, and content creation by 2030.

The Adobe Digital Academy program aims to collaborate with Coursera, colleges, and grade schools to teach students and teachers how to use Adobe's generative AI tools and use AI ethically.

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IBM announced plans to collaborate with universities to offer courses on generative AI and AI career readiness, with the goal of educating 2 million people worldwide about AI by the end of 2026. Additionally, IBM will expand the offerings on IBM SkillsBuild, which provides free courses across a variety of tech topics.

The AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium, founded by Cisco, includes IBM, Google, Microsoft, Intel, and Accenture, among other companies, to address the potential impact of AI on the technology workforce in the future.

Cisco's chief people, policy and purpose officer, Francine Katsoudas, emphasized the importance of intentionally acting to ensure that populations do not get left behind in the face of the unprecedented opportunity presented by AI to benefit humankind in every way, as she stated in a July press release.

Lack of AI skills cited as barrier to wider adoption

It is logical that tech companies developing AI tools would desire more workers and businesses to become proficient in utilizing them effectively.

Over 60% of CEOs believe a lack of AI knowledge is hindering their ability to fully utilize AI within their organizations, as stated in an IBM and Oracle survey of over 2,500 CEOs from 30 countries.

While 80% of business leaders believe AI will aid their competitiveness, 60% of their organizations lack a strategy for utilizing it, according to Microsoft and LinkedIn's 2024 Work Trend Index.

A report by Microsoft and LinkedIn reveals that many companies are seeking individuals with AI knowledge, and 71% of business leaders would prefer to hire a less experienced candidate with AI skills over a more experienced candidate who lacks them.

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