Google launches AI literacy and teacher training initiatives for India’s education sector

Google has announced a major push to expand artificial intelligence (AI) literacy, digital learning tools, and teacher training across India’s education ecosystem as schools and universities increasingly explore the use of AI in classrooms.

The announcement was made during the Education World Forum in London, where Google outlined a series of partnerships and initiatives aimed at supporting educators, improving foundational learning, and promoting responsible AI adoption in line with the goals of India’s National Education Policy 2020.

As part of the initiative, Google unveiled the Google AI Educator Series (GES), a mobile-first AI training programme designed specifically for teachers in schools and higher education institutions. According to the company, the programme will initially be implemented in partnership with the governments of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Assam, along with the Union Territory of Ladakh and the Punjab School Education Board.

Google said the programme has been customised to meet the practical needs of Indian educators and will be delivered through mobile-friendly formats to improve accessibility. During the pilot phase, the training content will also be localised in six Indian languages — Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Odia, and Punjabi — to ensure broader regional inclusion.

The company stated that the initiative aims to help teachers understand how AI tools can be responsibly integrated into classroom teaching and learning processes. The training is expected to cover AI literacy, classroom applications, ethical usage, and digital pedagogy for both school and higher education environments.

Alongside the educator programme, Google also announced a three-year collaboration with UNICEF spanning India, Brazil, Pakistan, and Kenya. Google described the partnership as a first-of-its-kind initiative combining technology tools with UNICEF’s expertise in strengthening education systems and foundational learning.

Under the partnership, AI-powered platforms such as Gemini and Read Along will be integrated into learning environments to support literacy and numeracy outcomes among children. The collaboration will also focus on responsible and equitable AI adoption in classrooms.

Google said the initiative will receive support from Google for Education and Google.org, while UNICEF will work with governments and local education systems to adapt implementation according to regional educational needs.

The announcement comes amid growing global debate over the role of AI in education. While schools and universities are increasingly experimenting with digital learning tools, experts continue to raise concerns regarding teacher preparedness, unequal access to technology, data privacy, and the ethical use of AI in classrooms.

Education experts say initiatives focused on teacher training and regional language accessibility may become increasingly important as India seeks to integrate AI into learning while addressing its large digital and linguistic diversity.