In a major push to future-proof India’s creative workforce, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), Mumbai, has partnered with Google and YouTube to launch a nationwide AI skilling initiative offering 15,000 scholarships.

The programme is aimed at students and young professionals seeking to build careers across media, entertainment, animation, gaming and digital storytelling, with a strong emphasis on practical, industry-aligned skills.

According to an official statement, the initiative is designed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application by integrating AI tools into creative workflows. Learners will gain hands-on exposure to content creation, platform strategies and production techniques, particularly tailored for YouTube ecosystems.

Focus on job-ready, production-level skills

The curriculum prioritises employability, equipping participants with the ability to apply AI in professional creative settings. From generating content to understanding platform dynamics, the training seeks to make learners production-ready.

Two-phase training model

The programme will be delivered in two stages:

• Phase I: Participants will undergo foundational training in AI concepts through Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud’s generative AI learning pathways. This stage will focus on core principles, responsible AI usage and conceptual clarity.
• Phase II: Candidates who complete the first phase will advance to specialised training involving hands-on projects, storytelling techniques and application of Google’s AI tools. This phase will also include YouTube best practices and will be conducted in hybrid mode across key creative hubs.

IICT to anchor implementation

IICT will spearhead the programme’s execution, overseeing design, outreach and delivery. The curriculum has been co-developed with Google and YouTube to ensure alignment with evolving industry demands.

The initiative builds on the earlier ‘Create with AI’ programme by IICT and YouTube, expanding it into a structured, nationwide skilling framework.

Aligned with Budget’s ‘orange economy’ vision

The launch follows the Union Budget 2026’s emphasis on the growing ‘orange economy’, which includes sectors such as AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming and comics), gaming and digital content. The Budget also underscored the role of IICT in creating a robust talent pipeline and proposed expanding AI-enabled labs and digital infrastructure, including at the school level, to promote early exposure to emerging technologies.