Google Invests $15M in Asia-Pacific for AI Workforce Training Fund

Google.org just revealed on Monday that it is establishing a $15 million fund to develop an Asia-Pacific workforce prepared for AI (artificial intelligence). Having started its first business in the area more than 25 years ago, the tech giant is well-known there.

The company’s $15 million AI Opportunity Fund for Asia-Pacific will help job seekers and underprivileged workers gain confidence and enhance their AI skills. The fund will address local AI possibilities and difficulties by partnering with the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network to provide AI training and financial grants to social impact organizations.

Also Read: Introducing Semantica: Google DeepMind’s New Image-Conditioned Diffusion Model

This fund will be open to applications from social impact groups that can assist us in reaching the people who are most likely to benefit from AI training. It is financed by the Asian Development Bank and operates in partnership with the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), a network of social investors. 

To uncover specific AI-related difficulties and potential for underprivileged job seekers and micro and small companies in the area, AVPN will collaborate with local partners chosen through an open call for proposals.

It’s not the only thing, either. Subsequently, Google said that it will be allocating an additional $20 million for AI initiatives in the area by 2024, bringing the total investment to $35 million.

According to Naina Subberwal Batra, CEO of AVPN, “Developing an AI-ready workforce is essential to unlocking Asia’s full potential and supporting organizations that are already actively working to ensure that the benefits of AI can reach more workers.”

The massive tech company based in Mountain View also donated $20 million to academic institutions around the globe last year to “facilitate dialogue” around AI.

Also Read: Google’s drones will probably be ‘Made in India’

Google also stated at the time, “We hope the Digital Futures Project and this fund will support many others across academia and civil society to advance independent research on AI.”

Microsoft, the front-runner in the AI race against Google, has also worked on numerous similar projects. The financial backer of OpenAI expended millions on cloud infrastructures and artificial intelligence in nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Indonesia, Germany, France, Spain, and others.