Google Invests $1 Billion in AI Education for US Universities and Nonprofits

Google commits $1 billion for AI training at US universities

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Alphabet's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab Google on Wednesday announced a three-year, $1 billion commitment to provide artificial intelligence training and tools to U.S. higher education institutions and nonprofits. More than 100 universities have signed on to the initiative so far, including some of the nation's largest public university systems such as Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina. Participating schools may receive cash funding and resources, such as cloud computing credits towards AI training for students as well as research on AI-related topics. The billion-dollar figure also includes the value of paid AI tools, such as an advanced version of the Gemini chatbot, which Google will give to college students for free. Google hopes to expand the program to every accredited nonprofit college in the U.S. and is discussing similar plans in other countries, Senior Vice President James Manyika said in an interview. He declined to specify how much Google is earmarking in direct funds to external institutions relative to footing its own cloud and subscription bills. The announcement comes as rivals like OpenAI, opens new tab, Anthropic and Amazon (AMZN.O), opens new tab have made similar pushes around AI in education as the technology pervades society. Microsoft (MSFT.O), opens new tab in July pledged $4 billion to bolster AI in education globally. By evangelizing their products to students, tech firms further stand to win business deals once those users enter the workforce. A growing body of research has mapped concerns around AI's role in education, from enabling cheating to eroding critical thinking, prompting some schools to consider bans. Manyika said Google had not faced resistance from administrators since it began to plot its education initiative earlier this year, but "many more questions" about AI-related concerns remain. "We're hoping to learn together with these institutions about how best to use these tools," he said, adding that the insights could help shape future product decisions. Reporting by Kenrick Cai; Editing by Jamie Freed Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab * Suggested Topics: * Artificial Intelligence Kenrick Cai Thomson Reuters Kenrick Cai is a correspondent for Reuters based in San Francisco. He covers Google, its parent company Alphabet and artificial intelligence. Cai joined Reuters in 2024. He previously worked at Forbes magazine, where he was a staff writer covering venture capital and startups. He received a Best in Business award from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing in 2023. He is a graduate of Duke University.

Google to spend $1 billion on AI education and job training in the U.S.

Google said it will provide U.S. colleges and universities with $1 billion worth of artificial intelligence education and job training tools, the company announced Wednesday. The three-year commitment will also make the programs available to non-profits, free of cost, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet, said in a blog post. So far, the tech giant says it has partnered with more than 100 public universities, including Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina. All accredited, non-profit colleges and universities in the U.S. are eligible for the partnership. The push comes as the world's biggest tech companies, including Microsoft and Meta, are vying for dominance in the AI space. At the same time, some corporate leaders have predicted that generative artificial intelligence could allow their businesses to trim their human workforce due to the tech's productivity gains. Future professionals must become fluent in AI to succeed professionally, as more companies lean on new AI tools to improve efficiency, Google's Pichai wrote. "Knowing how to use this technology will also serve these students well as they transition to the world of work," Pichai said. Through Google's "Career Certificates," the company will offer free AI training to all U.S. college students. The certificates are described as "flexible online training programs, designed to put you on the fast track to jobs in high-paying fields, now including practical AI training," according to Google's website. Google identified the current generation of students as the first cohort of "AI natives" who will eventually use the tech in ways that have yet to be discovered. All college students can sign up for a 12-month Google AI Pro plan, which gives them: Learning to master AI tools could help college students find a foothold in the workforce at a time when some companies are scaling back their plans to hire new grads, with some experts blaming AI for the reduction. Recent data from career platform Handshake shows that listings for entry-level jobs were down 15% over the past year. A report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas also shows that employers attributed at least 10,000 job cuts from the beginning of the year through July explicitly to AI. They cut another 20,000 positions for other reasons related to technological innovation, the report found.

Google Commits $1 Billion for AI Training at US Universities

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -Alphabet's Google on Wednesday announced a three-year, $1 billion commitment to provide artificial intelligence training and tools to U.S. higher education institutions and nonprofits. More than 100 universities have signed on to the initiative so far, including some of the nation's largest public university systems such as Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina. Participating schools may receive cash funding and resources, such as cloud computing credits towards AI training for students as well as research on AI-related topics. The billion-dollar figure also includes the value of paid AI tools, such as an advanced version of the Gemini chatbot, which Google will give to college students for free. Google hopes to expand the program to every accredited nonprofit college in the U.S. and is discussing similar plans in other countries, Senior Vice President James Manyika said in an interview. He declined to specify how much Google is earmarking in direct funds to external institutions relative to footing its own cloud and subscription bills. The announcement comes as rivals like OpenAI, Anthropic and Amazon have made similar pushes around AI in education as the technology pervades society. Microsoft in July pledged $4 billion to bolster AI in education globally. By evangelizing their products to students, tech firms further stand to win business deals once those users enter the workforce. A growing body of research has mapped concerns around AI's role in education, from enabling cheating to eroding critical thinking, prompting some schools to consider bans. Manyika said Google had not faced resistance from administrators since it began to plot its education initiative earlier this year, but "many more questions" about AI-related concerns remain. "We're hoping to learn together with these institutions about how best to use these tools," he said, adding that the insights could help shape future product decisions. (Reporting by Kenrick Cai; Editing by Jamie Freed)

Google commits $1 billion for AI training at US universities - The Economic Times

More than 100 universities have signed on to the initiative so far, including some of the nation's largest public university systems such as Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina.Alphabet's Google on Wednesday announced a three-year, $1 billion commitment to provide artificial intelligence training and tools to US higher education institutions and nonprofits. More than 100 universities have signed on to the initiative so far, including some of the nation's largest public university systems such as Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina. Participating schools may receive cash funding and resources, such as cloud computing credits towards AI training for students as well as research on AI-related topics. The billion-dollar figure also includes the value of paid AI tools, such as an advanced version of the Gemini chatbot, which Google will give to college students for free. Google hopes to expand the program to every accredited nonprofit college in the US and is discussing similar plans in other countries, senior vice president James Manyika said in an interview. He declined to specify how much Google is earmarking in direct funds to external institutions relative to footing its own cloud and subscription bills. The announcement comes as rivals like OpenAI, Anthropic and Amazon have made similar pushes around AI in education as the technology pervades society. Microsoft in July pledged $4 billion to bolster AI in education globally. By evangelising their products to students, tech firms further stand to win business deals once those users enter the workforce. A growing body of research has mapped concerns around AI's role in education, from enabling cheating to eroding critical thinking, prompting some schools to consider bans. Manyika said Google had not faced resistance from administrators since it began to plot its education initiative earlier this year, but "many more questions" about AI-related concerns remain. "We're hoping to learn together with these institutions about how best to use these tools," he said, adding that the insights could help shape future product decisions.

$1B Google initiative to support AI learning at universities

Google has launched a $1 billion, three-year initiative to bolster artificial intelligence education at U.S. nonprofit colleges and universities. The program provides grants, free access to AI tools like Gemini Advanced, and Google Cloud credits. Aimed at public and minority serving institutions, it already includes over 100 schools and seeks to close the AI skills gap by empowering students from all backgrounds. Google has announced a $1 billion, three year initiative to support artificial intelligence education at nonprofit colleges and universities in the U.S. The tech giant plans to offer direct grants, along with free access to AI tools and computing infrastructure. This ambitious effort aims to ensure students across diverse institutions, including public universities and minority-serving colleges, gain practical experience with AI technologies. Already, over 100 U.S. schools have signed on, including Texas A&M University and the University of North Carolina system. As part of the program, students will receive access to Google's premium AI platforms Gemini Advanced and Gemini for Deep Research at no cost. These tools, typically available through paid subscriptions, allow users to summarize research, generate content, and explore coding and data analysis in real time. In addition to AI tools, participating institutions will receive Google Cloud credits, enabling them to incorporate AI based projects into academic courses without additional infrastructure spending. Google's investment comes amid growing concern about a widening skills gap in the workforce. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in industries from finance to healthcare, employers are seeking graduates with hands on experience in machine learning, automation, and ethical AI use. According to Google's Senior Vice President James Manyika, the initiative is about "democratizing access to AI knowledge" and ensuring that "students from all backgrounds can engage with transformative technologies." While the current focus is on U.S. based institutions, Google hinted that international expansion may follow. By embedding AI learning into traditional academic environments, the tech giant aims to foster widespread digital readiness among young professionals, ensuring no community is left behind in the AI revolution. Q1. What is Google's AI education initiative about? A1. Google is investing $1 billion over three years to support AI education in U.S. nonprofit colleges and universities. The program includes grants, access to AI tools, and computing infrastructure. Q2. How will this initiative benefit students? A2. Students will gain hands-on experience with advanced AI platforms. This practical exposure will prepare them for emerging careers in AI and related fields.

Google commits $1 billion for AI training at US universities

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -Alphabet's Google on Wednesday announced a three-year, $1 billion commitment to provide artificial intelligence training and tools to U.S. higher education institutions and nonprofits. More than 100 universities have signed on to the initiative so far, including some of the nation's largest public university systems such as Texas A&M and the University of North Carolina. Participating schools may receive cash funding and resources, such as cloud computing credits towards AI training for students as well as research on AI-related topics. The billion-dollar figure also includes the value of paid AI tools, such as an advanced version of the Gemini chatbot, which Google will give to college students for free. Google hopes to expand the program to every accredited nonprofit college in the U.S. and is discussing similar plans in other countries, Senior Vice President James Manyika said in an interview. He declined to specify how much Google is earmarking in direct funds to external institutions relative to footing its own cloud and subscription bills. The announcement comes as rivals like OpenAI, Anthropic and Amazon have made similar pushes around AI in education as the technology pervades society. Microsoft in July pledged $4 billion to bolster AI in education globally. By evangelizing their products to students, tech firms further stand to win business deals once those users enter the workforce. A growing body of research has mapped concerns around AI's role in education, from enabling cheating to eroding critical thinking, prompting some schools to consider bans. Manyika said Google had not faced resistance from administrators since it began to plot its education initiative earlier this year, but "many more questions" about AI-related concerns remain. "We're hoping to learn together with these institutions about how best to use these tools," he said, adding that the insights could help shape future product decisions.