Newsom Announces Higher Ed-Tech Company Partnership for AI Workforce

California Community Colleges and the state university system have formed agreements with some of the most formidable players in the tech world to expand access to artificial intelligence tools and grow training opportunities.

“Today is an important day, a milestone,” remarked Gov. Gavin Newsom at a ceremony in San Francisco to announce the agreements. “But it’s also a recognition, that the world, in many ways we invented, is now competing against us. And we’ve got to step up our game.”

The governor, along with tech leaders from Google, Microsoft, IBM and Adobe, signed five memorandum of understanding agreements Aug. 6 to begin the process of more robustly integrating AI training and tools into the California Community College and California State University systems, as part of the state’s strategy to develop an AI-ready workforce. Together, these higher education institutions across the state serve nearly 2.6 million students.

“Where California goes, so goes our nation,” said Sonya Christian, chancellor of California Community Colleges, speaking at the event in downtown San Francisco, the Bay Bridge in the background.

The four companies, all with a strong presence in California, will work in various capacities with community colleges, universities and K-12 schools in the Golden State to support and grow AI education. Google will open access to its Google Prompting Essentials course to students at no cost and will offer its Generative AI for Educators course to teachers, also at no cost.

“AI is reshaping the future of work, revolutionizing industry, transforming government services and creating entirely new career paths,” said Matthew Schneider, managing director for education, state and local government with Google Public Sector, at the event. “If we invest in Californians, AI can lead to new jobs, better jobs, not replacing workers, but empowering them to focus on meaningful, impactful, strategic aspects of their job.”

Making these skills and tools available to community college students is “really near, dear, close to my heart,” said Dinesh Nirmal, senior vice president of products for IBM Software, himself a community college alum.

IBM plans to integrate AI into career education, as well as faculty training. The company will work to develop AI labs and training certificates as well as more hands-on types of learning.

The next workforce of the world “is going to be an AI-powered workforce,” he added, noting IBM aims to bring AI to 30 million people by 2030.

“This is a further commitment, for us, in that journey, along with the state of California, to make that come true,” said Nirmal.

Microsoft, along with the Foundation for California Community Colleges and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, have created a “boot camp” across eight regional areas focused on foundational training in areas such as cybersecurity and Microsoft Copilot.

“I am so thrilled at the opportunities and the outcomes of impact we have to help those across this beautiful state of California,” said Beth Dann, general manager for state, local and education at Microsoft.

Microsoft is also now working with California State University Career Services to design “a thriving career advising service for every single one of our students, advising career, strengthening the bridge from college to career, for students from all walks of life,” said Mildred García, chancellor for the California State University System.

Adobe will work to expand its education-focused generative AI tools such as Adobe Express, Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Firefly.

“This is moving quickly,” the governor said. “And none of us are naive about the iterative nature of the partnerships and the iterative nature of the technological change. And that’s what we are fundamentally trying to address here today by strengthening the partnerships with all of these remarkable, iconic companies.

“This is the backbone of our workforce in economic development in California, the tentpole of the U.S. economy,” Newsom added. “This is a moment for leadership. … It’s important that we continue to build capacity, and build partnerships, not do things to one another, but with one another.”