Preparing Asia Pacific’s Workforce for the AI Future
Google.org is taking significant steps to prepare Asia Pacific’s workforce for the AI future by announcing 49 recipients of the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific. The fund, selected by AVPN (Asian Venture Philanthropy Network), aims to bridge the AI skills gap in the region. Additionally, Google.org is expanding the fund by $12 million to further support AI training and development.
The Asia Pacific region, with its diverse workforce of 2 billion people, faces a significant challenge in AI adoption. According to a recent report by AVPN, while 58% of people in the region are excited about AI’s potential, only 15% have received AI training. This highlights the critical need for targeted AI education and training programs.
The 49 social impact organizations selected will provide localized AI training and resources tailored to specific local markets. These programs will cater to various groups, including ‘solopreneurs’ in rural India, migrant domestic workers in Singapore, and people with disabilities and their caregivers in Japan. The goal is to ensure that AI development is inclusive and benefits all segments of the population.
The expanded funding includes $10 million to support AVPN’s efforts to train 720,000 workers and 100,000 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across the region. MSMEs are crucial to Asia Pacific’s economy, representing 96% of all companies and employing up to 80% of the workforce. However, they often struggle with AI skills development due to limited access to training and digital infrastructure.
An additional $2 million will be provided to Infoxchange to reach 10,000 nonprofits in the APAC region with AI training and tools. This includes training on recent Gemini features launched in Google for Nonprofits products, enabling these organizations to use AI for social good and create positive change in their communities.
Through the Google.org AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific and ongoing collaborations, Google is committed to ensuring that the shift towards an AI-powered economy is fair and inclusive. The initiative aims to equip all workers with the necessary knowledge and tools to participate in and benefit from AI-driven growth.
