The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), has announced a national AI skilling initiative in partnership with Google and YouTube, aimed at training 15,000 creators and digital professionals across India.
The programme targets emerging talent in media, entertainment, animation, gaming and digital storytelling, signalling a structured push by the government to integrate artificial intelligence into India’s fast-growing creative economy. Anchored by IICT, the initiative is positioned as a selective, industry-aligned skilling pathway designed to move beyond basic AI awareness towards practical, production-ready capabilities.
Focus on industry-ready AI skills
The programme builds on the earlier “Create with AI” initiative and is designed to combine technical AI training with platform-level expertise. IICT will lead the implementation, including programme design, outreach and execution, in coordination with Google and YouTube.
Participants will be trained in advanced AI tools, creative workflows and digital distribution strategies, with a focus on real-world application across content creation and production.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said the initiative aligns with India’s ambition to emerge as a global leader in both technology and creative industries. “By equipping 15,000 individuals with advanced AI skills, we are not just preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow but also ensuring that India leads the world in the creative industry,” Vaishnaw said.
Two-phase skilling model
The programme will be delivered in two phases, starting with large-scale foundational training followed by specialised, hands-on learning.
Phase I (Foundational): All 15,000 participants will receive access to Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud’s generative AI learning pathways, focusing on core concepts and responsible AI use.
Phase II (Specialisation): Selected candidates will move to advanced training, including storytelling, hands-on use of AI tools and YouTube best practices, delivered through a hybrid model across key creative hubs.
This structure is aimed at creating a pipeline of talent that can directly contribute to content production and digital innovation.
Platform, industry collaboration
Industry stakeholders said the initiative reflects the growing convergence of AI and the creator economy. Gunjan Soni, Managing Director, India, YouTube, said AI has the potential to expand opportunities for creators and reshape storytelling formats.
“AI can help creators tell richer stories, reach new audiences and shape the future of media. This programme is about building fluency in the tools of tomorrow,” she said.
Shekar Khosla, Vice President, Marketing, India at Google, emphasised the role of AI skills in strengthening India’s digital economy.
“This partnership will provide creative professionals with the specialised AI skills needed to succeed and build innovative solutions for India’s creative landscape,” he said.
From awareness to capability building
IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar said the initiative is designed to address a clear gap in practical AI adoption within the creative sector. “The programme moves beyond awareness and into capability building, ensuring that training is aligned with industry requirements and real-world applications,” he said.
Strategic push for creative economy
The initiative comes at a time when AI is increasingly influencing content creation, distribution and monetisation. While India has one of the world’s largest creator ecosystems, structured skilling in AI-led creative workflows remains limited.
By combining government backing with platform expertise, the programme aims to create a skilled talent pool capable of leveraging AI across the content value chain—from ideation and production to distribution. The move also reflects a broader policy direction to position India as a global hub for digital content and creative innovation, with AI emerging as a key enabler in that transition.
