Preparing Aotearoa’s workforce for the AI future
Image: Literacy Waitākere adult learners
AI presents a significant opportunity for economic growth and workforce transformation in Asia-Pacific. But many people don’t have the skills they need to make the most of this opportunity. While people in the region are excited about AI — with 58% of people in Asia-Pacific excited about its potential — only 15% have received AI training and most are unaware this type of training exists, according to a new report from AVPN, a network of social investors. 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.
Today, we’re introducing 49 social impact organisations that will receive funding from the first phase of the Fund, selected by AVPN through their open call and supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), including Literacy Waitākere of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, to provide contextualized and localized AI training and resources to those who need it most.
Literacy Waitākere provides accessible programs for adult learners to develop critical literacy and digital skills, promoting lifelong learning and enabling pathways to employment and independence.
Sue West, CEO of Literacy Waitākere said, "We see firsthand that many in our community risk being left behind as AI transforms our world. Our goal is to demystify AI for learners who are still building foundational digital literacy, and often have low or no formal qualifications and primarily use only their phones. This support from the Google.org AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific is crucial as it empowers us to extend our 'Digital Skills for Life' programme into essential AI literacy. We want to explicitly teach those in our community how to use AI tools effectively, how to craft good prompts, and, critically, how to evaluate AI outputs responsibly and safely.
Many employers will soon expect these skills, and AI is already impacting recruitment. We aim to equip our learners to not just find jobs or switch careers, but to thrive in them. By building their confidence and competence with AI, we’re fostering digital equity and preparing them to be assets in their workplaces. We believe this knowledge will create a ripple effect, as participants share their learning with families and communities, ensuring more people can navigate and benefit from the AI-powered future, leading to increased prosperity and inclusion for all."
To help even more people across Asia Pacific learn how to use AI, today Google.org is also announcing a $12M expansion of the Google.org AI Opportunity Fund: Asia Pacific, helping workers, small businesses and nonprofits make the most of technology in their communities. Interested organisations can find out more information here. Together with the first phase, the Fund aims to train 720,000 workers, 100,000 micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and reach 10,000 nonprofits in the region.
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.
