By SDCN Staff
San Francisco, CA – Governor Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California has signed agreements with four of the largest technology companies in the GenAI sector, as the state continues to move forward as a global leader in technology.
Working with Google, Adobe, IBM, and Microsoft, the state will help train California’s workforce for a wide range of jobs in AI, including preparing students in grades 9-12, community college students, and California State University students for high-paying careers in these fields. These agreements — reached at no cost to the state — will also allow schools and industry partners to help students develop the skills they need to move from the classroom to the workforce.
“AI is the future — and we must stay ahead of the game by ensuring our students and workforce are prepared to lead the way. We are preparing tomorrow’s innovators, today. Fair access to next-generation workforce training tools is one important strategy that California is using to build economic opportunities for all Californians. We will continue to work with schools and colleges to ensure safe and ethical use of emerging technologies across the state, while emphasizing critical thinking and analytical skills,” Governor Gavin Newsom stated in a news release.
The agreement will support faculty and students across the community college and California State University systems, and enable high schools across the state to modernize their curriculum offerings to provide students with the latest AI tools, foster networking and internship opportunities, and expand access to state-of-the-art technology.
“AI is expected to touch nearly every aspect of the working world, so making sure California students are fluent in AI tools will give them a huge advantage as they start their careers,” said Stewart Knox, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development.
“Leveraging the state’s leadership in technology to train the current and future generation of California workers positions us to remain the world’s leader in emerging technologies,” said Nick Maduros, Secretary of the California Government Operations Agency.
California is home to 33 of the top 50 privately held AI companies around the globe. That figure signifies the state’s undisputed leadership in the GenAI arena and highlights why it is critical that California continues to create economic opportunities for our students and integrate these partnerships into educational systems statewide. The agreements will help ensure California remains the location of choice for the world’s most innovative companies by emphasizing supporting startups — a critical component of the state’s economic engine.
Recognizing GenAI is only the tip of the spear in the world of emerging technologies, the state is placing increased emphasis on sharpening students’ skills to keep them competitive in today’s workforce and ensure they use these emerging technologies safely and responsibly.
Adobe, Google, IBM, and Microsoft have developed several programs they are sharing with educational institutions across the state, including providing cutting-edge AI software, sharing expertise as educators update curricula to reflect the latest technology, and supporting educational and joint research initiatives. This partnership will drive significant advances in educational opportunities, economic development, workforce enhancement, and innovation for all Californians. The solutions are voluntary and will be made available by the companies at no cost to schools and institutions.
Adobe Initiative: Adobe and California are partnering to equip students and teachers with the skills and resources they need to thrive in an AI-driven world. Building on Adobe’s long-standing commitment to supporting education, this initiative will expand access to Adobe’s responsibly developed generative AI designed for classrooms such as Adobe Express, Adobe Acrobat, and Adobe Firefly – as well as AI literacy content, programming, and resources.
“To create the future, today’s students must learn to speak the language of tomorrow. That means not only having access to Adobe’s world-class, classroom-ready AI-powered tools as they are creating, ideating, or studying, but also becoming fluent in AI itself. This is equally important for educators because when we invest in teachers, we invest in every student they will ever reach,” said Mala Sharma, Vice President and General Manager, Adobe for Education.
Google Initiative: Google will help California residents develop tech skills through its extensive online AI training programs and continue to partner with government agencies across the state to transform citizen services, make data-driven decisions, and enhance efficiencies using GenAI. As a partner in this initiative, Google will support the state’s commitment to modernizing government and investing in its workforce. This includes increasing access to Google’s Prompting Essentials course for students at no cost. Designed and taught by experts at Google, the online course is product agnostic, does not require a degree or experience, and teaches learners how to effectively instruct AI, make the technology work for them, and use it. Additionally, Google will offer its no-cost Generative AI for Educators course to teachers across the state to help them personalize instruction to meet student needs, develop creative lessons and activities, and save time on administrative tasks.
“Generative AI is reshaping the future of work, revolutionizing industries, and creating entirely new career paths. By collaborating with California to make this technology more accessible to K-12 classrooms, higher education institutions, and innovative start-ups, we’re empowering Californians with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the robust GenAI economy of tomorrow,” said Matthew Schneider, Managing Director, Education, State and Local Government, Google Public Sector.
IBM Initiative: This initiative aims to integrate AI into career education programs across California’s community colleges, explore opportunities for faculty training, and broaden access to industry-recognized credentials through IBM SkillsBuild. The initiative also seeks to promote the development of regional AI labs, short-term certificates, and hands-on learning experiences aligned with evolving workforce needs.
“IBM is proud to collaborate with the State of California to expand access to AI education and economic opportunity. As AI transforms the workplace, the demand for skilled workers is growing rapidly. Through IBM SkillsBuild and our collaboration with California’s community colleges,” Dinesh Nirmal, Senior Vice President, IBM Software
Microsoft Initiative: Microsoft, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office successfully delivered a comprehensive bootcamp learning series focused on AI Foundations, Cybersecurity, and Microsoft Copilot. This training equipped faculty members from various community colleges across the state to educate students at their respective colleges.
Key leadership from this newly announced partnership will begin the implementation phase, continuing their efforts to harness GenAI to enhance the lives of all Californians.
California has launched efforts to help the state take advantage of this emerging technology, while also creating responsible policy guardrails to protect Californians.
In 2023, Governor Newsom signed an executive order laying out California’s approach to state GenAI adoption. That EO has shaped the future of ethical, transparent, and trustworthy GenAI deployment, all while California remains the world’s GenAI leader. Within the state government, projects are already underway to utilize GenAI to reduce highway congestion, improve roadway safety, and enhance customer service in a state call center, among other new initiatives.
“This new partnership with leading AI companies brings cutting-edge skills and tools directly to our students, faculty, staff, and communities—expanding opportunity and ensuring that Californians are prepared to thrive in the future world of work shaped by AI,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian.
Earlier this year, Governor Newsom further advanced California’s ongoing leadership in the responsible development and deployment of AI with the release of a new report from world-leading AI academics and experts. The group, which was convened at the request of the Governor last September, today released its final report, The California Report on Frontier AI Policy. This landmark report will help pave the way for the responsible, ethical, and safe use of AI for the benefit of all Californians by offering a policy framework for workable guardrails based on an empirical, science-based analysis of the technology’s capabilities and risks.
