Govt launches AI skilling initiative to train 15,000 from creative, media; partners with Google, Youtube

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Government of India has launched a national AI skilling programme to provide 15,000 scholarships in partnership with Google and Youtube. The ministry has also collaborated with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) to lead the initiative to build AI capabilities for the creative and media sector.

The AI skilling programme is designed specifically for “high-potential talent” across media, entertainment, animation, gaming, and digital storytelling fields, according to an official press release.

The IICT will lead the initiative and will manage programme design, outreach, curation, and execution, the release said. The institute has worked with Google and Youtube to design a curriculum to integrate advanced AI tools, creative workflows, and platform-level best practices, it added.

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AI Skilling programme in two phases

Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, said: "The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in partnership with Google and YouTube, is pleased to announce this national AI skilling initiative to train 15,000 participants from the creative and media sectors.”

“This initiative is being implemented through the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), and is aimed at strengthening AI capabilities in areas such as animation, visual effects, gaming, comics (AVGC) and media technology. It will support creators, media professionals, students and developers in building future-ready skills and contribute to India’s emergence as a global hub for digital content and innovation,” the minister added.

The programme will be conducted in two phases to guide participants from foundation knowledge to deep technical specialisation. The phase 1 will cover AI literacy and participants will receive scholarships for Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud’s Gen AI learning paths.

The career certificates programme from Google offers professional training and opportunity to connect with top employers, “democratizing access to foundational AI concepts and responsible practices.”

The second phase will equip participants with hands-on, project-based training. The curriculum includes the art of storytelling, advanced training with Google’s AI tools, and comprehensive modules on YouTube Best practices. “This phase will be co-curated by IICT and YouTube and delivered through a hybrid model across key creative hubs in India,” according to the press release.