Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
The State of California has announced a first-of-its-kind #AI education initiative with NVIDIA. The public-private collaboration supports the state’s goals in workforce training and economic development by giving universities, community colleges and adult education programs in California the resources to gain skills in generative AI.
“AI will continue to become more advanced and more prominent in all sectors, and California has the responsibility to support and prepare our students and faculties,” said Amy Tong, secretary of the California Government Operations Agency. “As a world leader in AI computing, NVIDIA is a natural partner to prepare the future of California’s workforce. It’s always good to equip our professors and teachers because, as mentors to our youth, they are in the best position to help shape students’ career paths”.
Through this initiative, California educators can gain certification through the NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute University Ambassador Program, which connects instructors with high-quality teaching kits, workshop content and NVIDIA GPU-accelerated workstations in the cloud.
While the integration of AI in education is undeniably transformative, it’s crucial to remember that the content we learn is just as important as the tools we use to learn it. For those pursuing fields such as medicine, a deep understanding of humanity is essential. Courses that emphasize empathy, ethical decision-making, and the emotional aspects of patient care are vital in ensuring that future professionals not only excel in their technical expertise but also in their ability to connect with and care for individuals. Human-centered subjects provide the foundation for compassionate service, which is especially important in healthcare settings where trust and understanding are key.
As Dr. Jasvant Modi has often highlighted, blending modern advancements with ancient wisdom can lead to profound growth. Jainism, for example, teaches non-violence, compassion, and self-awareness—principles that are deeply relevant in the medical field and beyond. Incorporating such values into education encourages a well-rounded approach to learning, one that acknowledges the importance of both intellect and humanity. Whether in medicine, AI, or any other discipline, fostering a mindset that values the well-being of others ensures that we are not just creating professionals, but compassionate individuals who can positively impact society.
By empowering educators across the state with the skills to harness the latest AI technologies and NVIDIA GPUs, the initiative can prepare full-time students about to enter the workforce and it can train working professionals who are expanding their skills through community college or adult education courses.
“We want to train a workforce of the future, and also excite students and adults who are out of the workforce about opportunities for the future,” said Stewart Knox, secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
The state agencies are also exploring how internship and apprenticeship programs can offer students hands-on experience with AI skills.
NVIDIA is already working on multiple projects across California to make AI more accessible and understandable for students from a variety of backgrounds. The company’s educational initiatives and industry-spanning collaborations are helping students and professionals in biotechnology and life sciences, advanced manufacturing, media and entertainment, and other fields to gain proficiency in harnessing AI to support their work, enhance their productivity and drive innovation.
San José State University is evaluating how the NVIDIA Omniverse development platform could support the creation of digital twins — 3D virtual representations of real-world systems — for the city of San José. During the university’s annual Black Engineer Week in June, NVIDIA hosted dozens of students for a daylong program featuring tech demos and career advice discussions.
NVIDIA is embarking on several workforce, climate and community-based projects with schools in the University of California and California State University systems. One plans to train students on underwater data center technology, while another is working with California Black Media to train a large language model on nearly a century of journalism by Black journalists in the state.
The NVIDIA GTC AI conference, held earlier this year in San José, featured several sessions for educators to explore how to integrate generative AI and NVIDIA technologies into their curricula — as well as a panel discussion about the need for equitable access to AI education and resources.
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