Microsoft is launching a new AI Skills Initiative that includes a global grant challenge, free online courses, and a training toolkit for teachers.
The initiative, announced Wednesday morning by Microsoft Philanthropies, is part of the company’s larger effort to address a technical skills gap in the broader workforce and economy.
“While much focus has been on the potential for AI to drive efficiency and unleash human creativity, AI also represents a sea change for how people can learn,” said Kate Behncken, Microsoft Philanthropies corporate vice president, in a LinkedIn post. “We’ll need to revolutionize how we train people, and we believe that AI skills can help.”
With connections to Azure, LinkedIn, GitHub, and other Microsoft platforms, the initiative is also a way for the company to further position its technologies at the center of the AI boom.
Microsoft is partnering with OpenAI and competing against tech giants including Amazon and Google in the race to capitalize on the growing wave of generative AI technologies in software and online services.
The skills initiative includes what Microsoft calls the first Professional Certificate on Generative AI in online learning.
Microsoft says its related Generative AI Skills Grant Challenge will support nonprofit, social enterprise, and academic or research institutions that use generative AI for social and economic good.
The company declined to disclose the expected size of the grants or the amount of its investment in the programs.
