California partners with Nvidia on community college AI training program
California on Friday announced a new partnership with the tech giant Nvidia to provide students, educators and workers in the state’s community colleges with access to generative artificial intelligence training and resources to learn new skills and advance their careers.
The partnership was formalized by a memorandum of understanding signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on Wednesday. The agreement aims to expand access to AI tools in community colleges.
Under the agreement, Nvidia will share its AI resources and training materials, such as curriculums, certifications, hardware, software, labs and workshops, with community colleges with the aim of bolstering innovation in the state.
The partnership builds on Newsom’s 2023 executive order that required California to explore responsible ways to use generative AI by this summer. The order created an AI task force, which released its first first report last November detailing the benefits and risks posed by generative AI.
California is also conducting a six-month trial of generative AI tools inside state government, and has asked companies to propose generative AI tools that can help reduce highway congestion. The state awarded its first AI contract for that project in June.
“California’s world-leading companies are pioneering AI breakthroughs, and it’s essential that we create more opportunities for Californians to get the skills to utilize this technology and advance their careers,” Newsom said in a news release. “We’re teaming up with NVIDIA to connect AI tools directly to students, educators, and workers – creating a pipeline to drive the innovations of the future.”
