The multifaceted initiative — brought about through a memorandum of understanding — aims to “responsibly and thoughtfully utilize AI to drive significant advances in economic development, workforce enhancement, and innovation for all Californians … .”
In support of these goals, NVIDIA will supply new resources in the form of hardware and software, AI labs and workshops, curriculum and certifications, and more.
“We’re in the early stages of a new industrial revolution that will transform trillion-dollar industries around the world. Together with California, NVIDIA will train 100,000 students, college faculty, developers, and data scientists to harness this technology to prepare California for tomorrow’s challenges and unlock prosperity throughout the state,” NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement.
California's joint effort with @NVIDIA seeks to expand access to cutting-edge AI initiatives and provide community colleges with NVIDIA's AI curriculum and certifications, hardware and software, labs and workshops, and more. pic.twitter.com/nbGF6O4sSU
— California Governor (@CAgovernor) August 9, 2024
The initiative will focus on the following areas (as written in the announcement):
Harness AI to grow the economy and create jobs
- NVIDIA aims to provide technical guidance, mentorship, and access to advanced AI hardware and software resources to support cutting-edge research initiatives.
- California will explore opportunities to support early-stage AI startups and public-private partnerships to create AI innovation zones and job creation hubs.
- NVIDIA will explore hackathons or design sprints that showcase practical applications of AI in California.
Training for students, educators, and workers
- California and NVIDIA plan to collaborate on creating AI laboratories in higher education facilities that can be equipped to meet the evolving needs of AI education and research.
- California will fund AI worker training initiatives across educational institutions and industries and work with NVIDIA to develop faculty programs to improve AI literacy and curriculum.
- NVIDIA aims to create pipelines and learning paths for AI talent and industry-recognized certifications for AI in specific sectors, including train-the-trainer programs for faculty.
- California will adopt skills and training for state careers, including new roles for AI specialists in government.
Promote statewide innovation, real-world applications
- NVIDIA and California will support initiatives to use AI technologies to address local challenges, including opportunities for students to work on real-world AI projects.
- NVIDIA will help enable access to cutting-edge AI hardware, software, and cloud computing resources for educational and research initiatives.
Direct collaboration with community college system
- Integrate AI concepts into curriculum for students to learn how to use AI applications to help them get jobs in high-demand sectors.
- Organize AI workshops and boot camps relevant to in-demand local jobs and collaborate with regional employers to build up an in-demand skilled workforce.
- Identify faculty for AI ambassador programs and faculty development programs, expand AI certificate programs across colleges to meet local employer needs.
This sort of informal partnership is not new for the state, especially where AI is concerned. Earlier this year, the California Department of Technology and Government Operations Agency announced a suite of proof-of-concept projects that would rely on generative AI to address real-world challenges.
The companies leading those initiatives include Accenture, Deloitte Consulting, Ignyte Group, INRIX, and SymSoft Solutions.
“California’s world-leading companies are pioneering AI breakthroughs, and it’s essential that we create more opportunities for Californians to get the skills to utilize this technology and advance their careers. We’re teaming up with NVIDIA to connect AI tools directly to students, educators, and workers – creating a pipeline to drive the innovations of the future,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in an announcement.
