7 months ago
AVPN Expands AI Skilling in Asia-Pacific
AVPN, a big group of social investors in Asia, has expanded a fund to help people learn AI skills.
This fund, supported by Google and the Asian Development Bank, will help workers like farmers, healthcare workers, and people looking for jobs.
They will learn how to use AI in their daily tasks.
AVPN is also creating a website where anyone can find AI training courses.
They have also made a guide to help governments create better AI training programs.
The goal is to help 720,000 workers and 100,000 small businesses in Asia by 2027.
AVPN's AI Opportunity Fund, supported by Google.org and ADB, has expanded with an additional USD 10 million for Phase Two, bringing the total to USD 25 million.
18 local training providers have been selected to deliver AI skilling programs to workers across Asia-Pacific, including farmers, healthcare workers, and job seekers.
AVPN is building an AI training ecosystem, including a publicly-available AI Content Hub and an AI Skilling Policy Toolkit for governments and policymakers.
Phase One of the Fund trained over 300,000 workers, and Phase Two aims to train 720,000 workers and support 100,000 MSMEs across Southeast Asia by 2027.
AVPN, with over 700 members, aims to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia.
- Who
- AVPN, Google.org, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and 18 local training providers
- What
- Expansion of the AI Opportunity Fund to build AI skilling infrastructure in Asia-Pacific
- Where
- Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on Southeast Asia for MSMEs
- When
- Announced on January 21, with Phase Two initiatives ongoing and aiming to train 720,000 workers by 2027
- Why
- To prepare workers for an AI-ready workforce, overcome systemic barriers, and support inclusive and sustainable growth
Key facts
- Fund Amount
- USD 25 million (USD 15 million initial + USD 10 million Phase Two)
- Phase One Beneficiaries
- 300,000 workers
- Phase Two Beneficiaries
- 720,000 workers by 2027
- Phase Two Local Training Providers
- 18 organizations
- AI Content Hub
- Publicly-available AI training content hub
- AI Skilling Policy Toolkit
- Policy guidelines for governments and policymakers
- AVPN Members
- Over 700 members across 43 markets
- Target MSMEs
- 100,000 MSMEs across Southeast Asia by 2027
Quotes
Naina Subberwal Batra
CEO of AVPN
“Workers in Asia Pacific have an urgent need for contextually relevant, localised, digital skills and relevant upskilling that will position them well for employability, entrepreneurship and job retention. Continuing on the strong momentum and results of Phase One of the AI Opportunity Fund, Phase Two of the AI Opportunity Fund initiative expands the good work that has been and continues to be done by the selected organisations in empowering workers across the region, partnering policymakers, reaching out to workers seeking resources, forging more equitable outcomes for all.”
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Marija Ralic
Head of Google.org APAC
“At Google.org, we believe that for AI to truly be a force for good, its benefits must be accessible to everyone. We are incredibly proud to see the impact and continued momentum of the Google.org AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific as it moves into this next critical chapter, focused on scaling impact. By supporting an additional 18 local providers and launching the AI Content Hub, AVPN is making localized upskilling available to the public at an unprecedented scale. This hub serves as a central gateway where anyone can search and filter for localized training by market or language, allowing workers to seamlessly discover the training they need. From upskilling self-help group workers with AI tools through the Centre for Social and Behaviour Change in India to training caregivers via Manabiya Mom Inc. in Japan, this program is a vital step toward a future-ready workforce and Google.org’s vision of unlocking opportunity for everyone, everywhere.”
theprint.in
Antonio Zaballos
Director, Digital Sector Office, ADB
“AI skills are essential but they are not sufficient on their own. For AI to drive inclusive and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific, skills development must be built on strong digital and data infrastructure, robust data governance, and the protection of critical information and systems. Through the AI Opportunity Fund, ADB is supporting a holistic, AI-ready ecosystem that links workforce skilling with policy readiness and scalable investment opportunities. This approach helps countries move beyond isolated pilots toward bankable, region-wide solutions that boost productivity, strengthen MSMEs, and improve public service delivery.”
theprint.in
Sources
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