Tech giant responds to industry skills gap with four courses on Gen AI, covering app building, data workflows, model management and content generation.
As companies race to integrate generative AI (Gen AI) into their operations, the demand for professionals who can effectively develop, deploy and manage these systems has skyrocketed. This surge in demand has exposed a critical shortage of qualified personnel, prompting major tech players to invest in upskilling initiatives.
With organisations across industries grappling with this AI talent shortage, Google Cloud has launched four new learning paths focused on generative AI skills.
A recent survey revealed that 62% of companies believe they lack the expertise required to fully leverage AI capabilities. Erin Rifkin, Managing Director of Google Cloud Learning, suggests this figure may be conservative.
“I meet with customers every day, and 100% of them flag some kind of AI skills gap,” she says in a Google Cloud blog.
The demand for AI talent
The new learning paths are designed to address this skills gap, targeting developers, machine learning engineers and data experts – professionals who are in high demand as companies seek to integrate AI into their operations.
However, the rapid pace of AI development means that even existing talent needs to update their skills. A 2024 survey estimated that approximately 70% of AI professionals require skill updates to remain current in the field.
“Many technical professionals don’t have the training they need to move from theory to practice and integrate AI into their everyday work,” Erin explains.
Comprehensive learning paths
The four new learning paths cover a range of Gen AI applications:
1. Building and modernising applications with generative AI
2. Integrating generative AI into data workflows
3. Deploying and managing generative AI models
4. Generating smarter generative AI outputs
Each path includes in-depth courses and practical challenge labs, allowing participants to gain hands-on experience with real-world AI use cases.
The courses cover topics such as enhancing customer experience, improving team productivity, and using BigQuery – Google Cloud’s fully managed data warehouse for analytics – Machine Learning for inference.
New courses in security and productivity
In addition to the learning paths, Google Cloud has introduced three new standalone courses to address specific areas of concern in the AI industry. The first course, ‘Introduction to security in the world of AI’, is aimed at tackling the growing need for robust security measures as Gen AI systems become more prevalent. With organisations increasingly prioritising the responsible use of AI, this course aims to equip professionals with the knowledge to safeguard AI implementations.
The second course, ‘Boost productivity with Gemini in BigQuery’, focuses on enhancing efficiency in data workflows. Gemini, Google’s large language model, is integrated with BigQuery to streamline data analysis processes.
The third offering, ‘Build generative AI agents with Vertex AI and Flutter’, combines Google’s machine learning platform, Vertex AI, with its open-source UI software development kit, Flutter. This course is designed to teach developers how to create intelligent, interactive applications powered by Gen AI.
Access to learning resources
Google Cloud is offering these learning paths through its Google Cloud Skills Boost platform. Members of the Google Cloud Innovators community, a no-cost developer programme, receive 35 unrestricted learning credits each month.
The Innovators community also provides access to exclusive learning opportunities, such as the AI Skills Quest challenge, where participants can earn AI skill badges alongside peers.
Google’s initiative aims to address the growing demand for AI skills in the tech industry. By providing comprehensive, practical training, the company hopes to empower professionals to lead in the era of AI-driven solutions.
“My team is committed to empowering you with the skills to lead in this exciting era,” Erin states. “Because ultimately, we all have a shared goal: to build AI-driven solutions that are responsible, fun to use, and genuinely improve people’s lives.”
