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Modi government launches AI skilling program for media professionals
24 Mar 2026

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced a national artificial intelligence (AI) skilling initiative.

The program, launched by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, aims to train 15,000 people from the media and creative sectors.

It is being implemented in association with Google and YouTube through the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT).

Target audience and scholarship offerings
Skill enhancement

The national AI skilling program is aimed at enhancing capabilities in animation, visual effects, gaming, comics (AVGC), and media technology.

It targets the creators, media professionals, students, and developers to help them adapt to rapidly changing digital tools and workflows.

As part of the program, 15,000 scholarships will be offered to participants for developing advanced AI skills.

Structure of the AI skilling initiative
Phase 1

The AI skilling initiative will be conducted in two phases.

The first phase, from March 23 to June 30, will focus on large-scale foundational AI learning via Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud's generative AI learning pathways.

Participants will take courses like AI Essentials, Prompting Essentials, Introduction to Generative AI, and the Generative AI Leader Path.

Completion of this phase is must for progression to the next stage.

Second phase of advanced training
Advanced training

The second phase of the AI skilling program, from July to December 2026, will focus on advanced, hands-on project-based specialization for the creative industry.

The curriculum will include modules on storytelling, YouTube best practices, as well as advanced training using AI tools like Gemini 3, Nano Banana, Veo, and Vertex AI.

The training will be conducted in major cities across India.