The State of California has announced a groundbreaking AI education initiative in collaboration with NVIDIA, aimed at advancing workforce training and economic development by equipping educational institutions with skills in generative AI.

Partnership Overview

This public-private partnership aligns with California’s objectives to enhance workforce readiness and innovation. The initiative provides universities, community colleges, and adult education programs across the state with resources to develop expertise in AI.

Supporting Educators and Students

Amy Tong, secretary of the California Government Operations Agency, highlighted the importance of preparing students and educators for the evolving AI landscape. She emphasized NVIDIA's role as a leading AI computing company and a key partner in this effort.

The initiative includes the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute University Ambassador Program, which offers California educators certification, access to advanced teaching kits, workshop content, and NVIDIA GPU-accelerated cloud workstations. “Equipping our educators is crucial, as they are ideally positioned to guide students’ career paths,” said Tong.

Expanding Workforce Skills

Stewart Knox, secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, stressed the initiative's dual focus on training future professionals and re-engaging those already in the workforce. The program also explores internships and apprenticeships to provide hands-on AI experience.

Addressing the Digital Divide

NVIDIA is involved in various projects across California to make AI education more accessible. Their initiatives span biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, media and entertainment, and other sectors, helping students and professionals leverage AI to boost productivity and foster innovation.

At San José State University, NVIDIA is exploring the use of the Omniverse development platform for creating digital twins—3D virtual models of real-world systems. Additionally, NVIDIA engaged students during the university's Black Engineer Week with tech demos and career advice.

NVIDIA is also collaborating on projects with the University of California and California State University systems, including underwater data center technology training and developing a large language model with California Black Media’s historical journalism.

Educational Conferences and Equity

The NVIDIA GTC AI conference earlier this year in San José featured sessions for educators on integrating generative AI and NVIDIA technologies into their curricula. The conference also addressed the need for equitable access to AI education and resources.

This initiative represents a significant step in preparing California’s workforce for the future of AI and ensuring broad access to cutting-edge technologies and training.