Governor Newsom partners with world’s leading tech companies to prepare Californians for AI future
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Aug 7, 2025

Governor Newsom partners with world's leading tech companies to prepare Californians for AI future

"Preparing tomorrow's innovators, today"

What you need to know: California is leveraging programs from Google, Adobe, IBM, and Microsoft to help prepare the current and future generation to lead an AI-ready workforce, including expanding access to over two million students in public high schools and universities across California, including community colleges and California State Universities.

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, Governor Gavin Newsom announced California has signed agreements with four of the largest technology companies in the GenAI sector, as the state continues to speed forward as the global leader in technology. Working with Google, Adobe, IBM, and Microsoft, the state will help train California's workforce for a wide range of jobs in AI, including preparing students in grades 9-12, community colleges and California State Universities for high-paying careers in these fields. These agreements — reached at no cost to the state — will also allow schools and industry partners to work together to make it easier for students to develop the skills they need to move from the classroom to the workforce.

AI is the future — and we must stay ahead of the game by ensuring our students and workforce are prepared to lead the way. We are preparing tomorrow's innovators, today. Fair access to next-generation workforce training tools is one important strategy that California is using to build economic opportunities for all Californians. We will continue to work with schools and colleges to ensure safe and ethical use of emerging technologies across the state, while emphasizing critical thinking and analytical skills.

Governor Gavin Newsom

This agreement will support faculty and students across the community college and California State University systems, and enable high schools across the state to modernize their curriculum offerings to provide students with the latest AI tools, foster networking and internship opportunities, and expand access to state-of-the-art technology.

"AI is expected to touch nearly every aspect of the working world, so making sure California students are fluent in AI tools will give them a huge advantage as they start their careers," said Stewart Knox, Secretary of Labor & Workforce Development.

"Leveraging the state's leadership in technology to train the current and future generation of California workers positions us to remain the world's leader in emerging technologies," said Nick Maduros, Secretary of California Government Operations Agency.

"With agreements like these, we are doing what California does best – investing in the innovation economy to create new industries and new opportunities," said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to the Governor and Director of the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz). "Partnering with these industry leaders will further unlock opportunities for Californians to get the skills they need to advance their careers while ensuring employers have access to the most talented workforce in the nation."

"This new partnership with leading AI companies brings cutting-edge skills and tools directly to our students, faculty, staff, and communities—expanding opportunity and ensuring that Californians are prepared to thrive in the future world of work shaped by AI," said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian. "As the largest workforce training provider in the nation, we play a pivotal role in developing California's talent and guiding the responsible and equitable use of Generative AI."

"On behalf of the California State University, I commend and deeply appreciate Governor Newsom's forward-thinking efforts to harness the power of artificial intelligence. The MOU we celebrate today and the CSU-Industry AI Workforce Acceleration Board it memorializes are at the very heart of the CSU's Artificial Intelligence Initiative, aimed at empowering faculty teaching and research, elevating the student experience, driving the state's future workforce and, most importantly, equipping our graduates with the essential skills they'll need to thrive in every field. We look forward to our continued collaborative work – with the governor's administration, AI industry leaders, and CSU students, faculty and staff – as the CSU seeks to become a global model for an AI-empowered higher education system." – California State University Chancellor Mildred Garcia

View the CSU MOU here.

California's GenAI economy

California is home to 33 of the top 50 privately held AI companies around the globe. That figure signifies the state's undisputed leadership in the GenAI arena and highlights why it is critical that California continues to create economic opportunities for our students and integrate these partnerships into educational systems statewide. The agreements will help ensure California remains the location of choice for the world's most innovative companies by placing an emphasis on supporting startups — a critical component of the state's economic engine.

Recognizing GenAI is only the tip of the spear in the world of emerging technologies, the state is placing increased emphasis on sharpening students' skills to keep them competitive in today's workforce and ensure they use these emerging technologies safely and responsibly.

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Preparing tomorrow's innovators

Adobe, Google, IBM, and Microsoft have developed several programs they are sharing with educational institutions across the state, including providing cutting-edge AI software, sharing expertise as educators update curricula to reflect the latest technology, and supporting educational and joint research initiatives. This partnership will drive significant advances in educational opportunities, economic development, workforce enhancement, and innovation for all Californians. The solutions are voluntary and will be made available by the companies at no cost to schools and institutions.

Adobe Initiative: Adobe and California are partnering to equip students and teachers with the skills and resources they need to thrive in an AI-driven world. Building on Adobe's long-standing commitment to supporting education, this initiative will expand access to Adobe's responsibly developed generative AI that is designed to be used in classrooms such as Adobe Express, Adobe Acrobat, and Adobe Firefly – as well as AI literacy content, programming and resources. This partnership will help ensure workforce readiness for the future by preparing students to become the next generation of innovators and leaders. View the Adobe MOU here.

"To create the future, today's students must learn to speak the language of tomorrow. That means not only having access to Adobe's world-class, classroom-ready AI-powered tools as they are creating, ideating, or studying, but also becoming fluent in AI itself. This is equally important for educators because when we invest in teachers, we invest in every student they will ever reach. By empowering both students and educators with AI skills and knowledge, Adobe is proud to take a critical step toward building an innovative workforce that thrives in the digital world of today and tomorrow." Mala Sharma, Vice President and General Manager, Adobe for Education.

Google Initiative: Google will help California residents develop tech skills through its extensive online AI training programs and continue to partner with government agencies across the state to transform citizen services, make data-driven decisions, and enhance efficiencies using GenAI. As a partner in this initiative, Google will support the state's commitment to modernizing government and investing in its workforce. This includes increasing access to Google's Prompting Essentials course for students at no cost. Designed and taught by experts at Google, the online course is product agnostic, does not require a degree or experience, and teaches learners how to effectively instruct AI, make the technology work for them, and responsible use. Additionally, Google will offer its no-cost Generative AI for Educators course to teachers across the state to help them personalize instruction to meet student needs, develop creative lessons and activities, and save time on administrative tasks. This partnership builds on collaboration between California and Google to accelerate the adoption of GenAI at government agencies in the state and create new upskilling opportunities for the workforce. View the Google MOU here.

"Generative AI is reshaping the future of work, revolutionizing industries and creating entirely new career paths," said Matthew Schneider, Managing Director, Education, State & Local Government, Google Public Sector. "By collaborating with California to make this technology more accessible to K-12 classrooms, higher education institutions, and innovative start-ups, we're empowering Californians with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the robust GenAI economy of tomorrow."

IBM Initiative: This initiative aims to integrate AI into career education programs across California's community colleges, explore opportunities for faculty training, and broaden access to industry-recognized credentials through IBM SkillsBuild. The initiative also seeks to promote the development of regional AI labs, short-term certificates, and hands-on learning experiences aligned with evolving workforce needs. By aligning proven, accessible educational pathways with the demands of a rapidly changing technological landscape, this collaboration aspires to help prepare students for future roles in AI, cybersecurity, and data science fields. View the IBM MOU here.

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"IBM is proud to collaborate with the State of California to expand access to AI education and economic opportunity. As AI transforms the workplace, the demand for skilled workers is growing rapidly. Through IBM SkillsBuild and our collaboration with California's community colleges, we are empowering students and educators with the tools, training, and credentials they need to thrive in an AI-driven economy." Dinesh Nirmal, Senior Vice President, IBM Software.

Microsoft Initiative: Microsoft, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and the California Community College Chancellor's Office successfully delivered a comprehensive bootcamp learning series focused on AI Foundations, Cybersecurity, and Microsoft Copilot. This training equipped faculty members from various community colleges across the state to educate students at their respective colleges. This collaborative effort has significantly enhanced the AI and cybersecurity skills of both faculty and students, positioning California's community colleges at the forefront of technological education. View the Microsoft MOU here.

"Microsoft is proud to partner with the State of California to help ensure students, faculty, and staff across the California Community Colleges system have access to the AI skills needed in today's workforce. By supporting AI literacy, cybersecurity training, and hands-on learning opportunities through our Copilot technology and trusted training partners, we're investing in the future of California. We're grateful to Governor Newsom's office and the California Government Operations Agency for their leadership in creating pathways into the digital workforce." Beth Dann, General Manager, State, Local, and Education, Microsoft

What's Next
Key leadership from this newly announced partnership will begin the implementation phase, continuing their efforts to harness GenAI to enhance the lives of all Californians.

California's AI global leadership

California has launched efforts to help the state take advantage of this emerging technology, while also creating responsible policy guardrails to protect Californians.

In 2023, Governor Newsom signed an executive order laying out California's approach to state GenAI adoption. That EO has shaped the future of ethical, transparent, and trustworthy GenAI deployment, all while California remains the world's GenAI leader. Within state government, projects are already underway to utilize GenAI to reduce highway congestion, improve roadway safety, and enhance customer service in a state call center, among other new initiatives.

Paving the way for responsible use of AI

Earlier this year, Governor Newsom further advanced California's ongoing leadership in the responsible development and deployment of AI with the release of a new report from world-leading AI academics and experts. The group, which was convened at the request of the Governor last September, today released its final report, The California Report on Frontier AI Policy. This landmark report will help pave the way for the responsible, ethical, and safe use of AI for the benefit of all Californians by offering a policy framework for workable guardrails based on an empirical, science-based analysis of the technology's capabilities and risks.

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