Google.org grants $1 million to Karya for inclusive AI skilling in low-income communities

In a bid to democratise access to the AI job market, Google.org has awarded a $1 million grant to the non-profit Karya. This funding aims to bring AI-enabled economic opportunities to low-income communities worldwide, helping tens of thousands of people access digital tasks tied to artificial intelligence, such as data annotation and language-based AI training. The initiative comes as part of Google’s broader strategy to make AI skills and job opportunities more inclusive, with a focus on India’s underserved regions.

Karya will use the grant to develop a skilling pathway that combines a research-driven curriculum with hands-on learning, tailored to make AI jobs accessible even for those with limited digital experience. This program aligns with India’s vision of creating an AI-ready workforce, with materials translated into 10 major Indic languages to expand accessibility further.

In addition to the training curriculum, Karya will leverage generative AI to develop a multilingual chatbot, offering real-time support for their digital work platform. This feature aims to assist workers in navigating digital tasks in various languages, meeting local and regional needs.

Alex Diaz, Head of AI for Social Good at Google.org, emphasised the impact of this initiative, stating, “We are bringing our resources and capabilities to ensure that the opportunities [AI unlocks] are rewarding for everyone, regardless of their background or circumstance. We’re proud to support Karya’s mission in nurturing AI opportunities for underserved communities.”

The grant reflects Google’s growing commitment to AI upskilling in India and beyond. Last month, the company introduced AI Skills House to train 10 million Indians in AI applications and awarded $4 million to the Central Square Foundation to raise AI awareness among students, educators, and parents across the country. Globally, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced a $120 million Global AI Opportunity Fund to bring AI education to communities worldwide in local languages, a project introduced at the United Nations in September.

Karya’s CEO, Manu Chopra, highlighted the organisation’s commitment to equitable AI development, stating, “We believe that low-income communities are not only excellent beneficiaries of AI, but they are also excellent builders of AI.” Karya’s digital work platform has already created meaningful job opportunities for over 50,000 people in rural India, with plans to extend these opportunities to more than 100,000 individuals.

This partnership underscores the potential of AI to foster economic growth and social progress, particularly in underserved areas, and builds on Google’s recent report, “An AI Opportunity Agenda for India.” The report outlines steps for India to leverage its tech talent to drive inclusive progress and boost the economy through AI.