The government’s new initiative aims to train 15,000 individuals across media and creative sectors with industry-ready AI skills, strengthening India’s digital content ecosystem and preparing talent for emerging technologies in storytelling, production, and distribution.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has rolled out a nationwide artificial intelligence (AI) skilling programme aimed at equipping 15,000 professionals and students from the creative ecosystem with practical, job-ready capabilities. The initiative is designed to strengthen AI adoption across animation, visual effects, gaming, comics (AVGC), and broader media technology domains.
Announcing the programme, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the effort seeks to build future-ready talent and position India as a global leader in digital content creation and innovation. The initiative will support creators, developers, and media professionals in integrating AI into their workflows to enhance productivity and storytelling.
Industry collaboration to drive execution
The programme will be spearheaded by the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), in partnership with Google and YouTube. As the implementing agency, IICT will oversee curriculum development, outreach, and execution at a national scale.
Designed in collaboration with industry partners, the curriculum combines advanced AI tools with creative production techniques and platform-specific best practices. It builds on the earlier “Create with AI” initiative and is tailored for high-potential talent in fields such as digital storytelling, gaming, and entertainment.
Industry leaders highlighted the transformative potential of AI in content creation, noting that the collaboration will help professionals leverage cutting-edge tools to create more engaging and innovative outputs.
Two-phase rollout through 2026
The skilling programme will be implemented in two stages. The first phase, running from March 23 to June 30, will focus on building foundational AI literacy at scale. Participants will receive scholarships for Google Career Certificates and generative AI learning tracks offered through Google Cloud.
In the second phase, participants will undergo hands-on, project-based training co-developed by IICT and YouTube. Scheduled between July and December 2026, this phase will adopt a hybrid learning model across major creative hubs in India.
The advanced curriculum will cover storytelling techniques, use of AI tools such as Gemini and Vertex AI, and platform optimisation strategies for digital distribution. Officials said the initiative is structured to move beyond theoretical understanding and deliver practical, real-world AI capabilities aligned with industry needs.
