Google launches ‘AI Skill House’ to boost AI literacy across India
At the 10th edition of Google for India 2024, Google launched an initiative to boost AI literacy across India, as announced by Shekhar Khosla, vice president of marketing for Google India.
Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, has announced a $4 million grant to the Central Square Foundation to enhance AI literacy among 5 million students, parents, and educators across India over the next four years. This initiative, part of Google’s broader push to prepare India for an AI-powered future, was unveiled at the 10th edition of Google for India.
Along with the grant, Google.org is launching a Fellowship that will see Google employees offering pro bono support to Rocket Learning, an Indian non-profit focused on early childhood development. This collaboration aims to create a generative AI-powered tutor called Saheli to assist children aged 3 to 6 in developing foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
Advancing AI Literacy in India
The $4 million grant to the Central Square Foundation will be used to roll out the AI Samarth initiative. This programme will introduce AI-focused curricula in government schools and develop training modules for students, teachers, and parents. The goal is to empower educators to incorporate AI in classrooms and equip students with the knowledge to engage with AI responsibly. The initiative is expected to impact over 5 million people across India over four years.
Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja, CEO and MD of Central Square Foundation, emphasised the urgent need for AI literacy: “As AI increasingly influences our lives, education must adapt. Our initiative will empower millions to use AI meaningfully and responsibly.”
AI for Early Childhood Development
In addition to the grant, Google.org is providing pro bono support to Rocket Learning through its Fellowship programme. This will help develop Saheli, a generative AI-powered learning companion designed to personalise education for young children. Rocket Learning aims to use Saheli to reach millions of underserved children across India and eventually scale the tutor across 20 languages globally.
Vishal Sunil, CTO and co-founder of Rocket Learning, expressed excitement about the partnership: “With Google.org’s support, we are eager to revolutionise early childhood education, making quality learning accessible to every child in India.”
Google.org’s Commitment to AI for Social Good
Google.org’s initiatives in India are part of its larger commitment to leveraging AI for social impact. Since 2015, Google.org has provided over $60 million in funding to Indian non-profits and contributed approximately $195 million in donated products and services, including over 70,000 volunteer hours from Google employees.
Khosla unveiled “AI Skill House”, a programme aimed at empowering 10 million Indians with AI knowledge. “With the rise of AI, there is an even greater need to equip people with the knowledge and tools to thrive in this new world and become truly future-readyafaqs,” Khosla stated.
The initiative builds upon Google’s Internet Saathi programme, which has trained over 80,000 rural women in digital skills since 2015. AI Skill House targets a broader audience, including students, job seekers, educators, developers, and civil officials.
Participants will have free access to Google’s flagship AI courses on YouTube. “You will be able to embark on your own AI learning journey, discovering Google’s flagship courses in AI on YouTube, such as ‘Introduction to Generative AI’ or ‘Introduction to Responsible AI’,” Khosla explained.
For those seeking deeper knowledge, courses will also be available through the Google Cloud Skills Boost platform. Upon completion, learners will receive digital badges from Google Cloud.
While initially offered in English, there are plans to expand to seven Indian languages. Khosla added, “We are also bringing our very popular Google AI Essentials course in Hindi.”
“We recognise that true progress requires a comprehensive approach,” Khosla said, highlighting that AI Skill House is part of Google’s broader commitment to preparing Indians for an AI-driven future.
With Thanks Reference to:https://www.afaqs.com/news/digital/google-google-for-india-2024-ai-skill-house-shekhar-khosla-7239736 and https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/google-invests-4-million-to-boost-ai-literacy-in-india-supporting-central-square-foundation-and-rocket-learning-448571-2024-10-03
