Google.org announced that it has expanded its AI Opportunity Fund by $12 million to assist more employees, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations in Asia Pacific (APAC) in maximizing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their local communities.
The company said in a statement that this includes $10 million in additional funding for AVPN to keep preparing APAC workers for the evolving labor market. The organization hopes to train 100,000 MSMEs and 720,000 workers throughout the region.
It is acknowledged that MSMEs, which account for 96 percent of all businesses and employ up to 80 percent of the workforce, are the foundation of the Asia Pacific economy.
However, studies reveal that many people have difficulty developing their AI skills because of restricted access to training, restricted financial resources, and limited digital infrastructure.
Along with the funding, Infoxchange will receive a $2 million grant to provide AI training and resources, including the latest Gemini features introduced in Google for Nonprofits products, to 10,000 nonprofit organizations in the APAC region.
As a result, these organizations will be able to use AI for social good and improve their communities.
“A shift towards an AI-powered economy needs to be fair and inclusive, so all workers have the necessary knowledge and tools to participate,
“Through the Google.org AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific and our ongoing collaborations, we’re committed to making sure everyone can benefit from the potential of AI,” said the statement.
AI offers APAC a huge chance for workforce transformation and economic growth, the statement claims.
Many people, it was pointed out, lack the abilities necessary to take full advantage of this chance.
AVPN, a network of social investors, recently released a report that found that while 58% of people in APAC are enthusiastic about AI’s potential, only 15% have received AI training, and the majority are not aware that such training even exists.
“This illustrates the critical need for the Google.org AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific. Our goal is to help everyone in the region unlock the opportunities of AI,” said the statement.
The 49 social impact organizations that will be funded by the Fund’s initial phase are also being introduced by Google.org. They were chosen by AVPN through an open call and are backed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The statement claims that APAC’s 2 billion-strong workforce is extremely diverse in terms of language, culture, and economic background.
The groups will offer localized AI training and resources to those who are most in need, such as migrant domestic workers in Singapore, “solopreneurs” in rural India, and individuals with disabilities and their caregivers in Japan.
