Govt launches 15,000 AI skill scholarships for media and creative sector
Synopsis
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, in partnership with Google, YouTube, and IICT, has launched 15,000 AI scholarships targeting India's creative workforce — from animators to digital storytellers. With a 33-hour Google-certified foundation and a hands-on specialisation phase, this is one of the most sector-specific AI upskilling pushes India's media landscape has seen.
Key Takeaways
MIB announced 15,000 AI scholarships on 4 May 2025 for talent in media, entertainment, animation, gaming, and digital storytelling.
The programme is developed in partnership with Google and YouTube , and launched with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) .
Phase 1 offers Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud Generative AI learning paths — approximately 33 hours of online training.
Phase 2 is a hybrid specialisation covering storytelling, creative production, and advanced AI tools through project-based learning.
Vishwas Deoskar described the initiative as addressing a clear national requirement to prepare creative professionals for real-world AI application.
Enrolment is currently open for interested candidates.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) on Monday, 4 May announced a national AI skilling initiative offering 15,000 scholarships for emerging talent across media, entertainment, animation, gaming, and digital storytelling. Developed in partnership with Google and YouTube, the programme is being launched in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), with enrolment now open for interested candidates.
Programme Structure and Curriculum
The initiative delivers a two-phase curriculum combining online foundation training and hybrid specialisation. The first phase — focused on building core AI literacy at scale — provides scholarships for Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud's Generative AI learning paths, comprising approximately 33 hours of online training. Topics covered include generative AI fundamentals, prompting techniques, and responsible AI practices.
Participants who successfully complete the foundation stage will advance to a hybrid specialisation phase, which emphasises practical application through project-based learning in storytelling, creative production, and the use of advanced AI tools. The curriculum, co-developed by IICT and YouTube, also incorporates platform best practices designed to enhance content reach and audience engagement.
What Google's Career Certificates Bring to the Table
Google's Career Certificates programme offers professional training designed by Google, along with opportunities to connect with top employers. According to the official statement, the programme is intended to democratise access to foundational AI concepts and responsible practices — making high-quality AI education available beyond traditional academic pathways. Learners will gain exposure to tools and platforms through guided modules curated for the creative sector.
Why This Initiative Matters for India's Creative Economy
India's media and digital landscape is evolving rapidly, with AI increasingly reshaping content creation, production, and distribution workflows. By combining technical proficiency with creative application, the programme aims to build a skilled talent pool capable of driving innovation across these sectors. This comes amid growing demand from industry for professionals who can bridge the gap between AI capabilities and creative execution.
CEO of IICT, Dr. Vishwas Deoskar, stated that
Point of View
Storytellers, and content producers who are typically left out of mainstream AI upskilling pipelines. The Google and YouTube partnership lends credibility, but the real measure will be completion rates and whether Phase 2 specialisation translates into verifiable employment or income outcomes. With 15,000 seats and a 33-hour foundation module, the programme is modest in scale relative to India's creative workforce. The question is whether it seeds a replicable model or remains a one-off headline.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MIB AI skilling initiative with 15,000 scholarships?
It is a national AI skilling programme launched by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in partnership with Google, YouTube, and IICT, offering 15,000 scholarships to emerging talent in media, entertainment, animation, gaming, and digital storytelling. Enrolment is currently open.
What does the two-phase curriculum include?
Phase 1 provides online training via Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud's Generative AI learning paths — approximately 33 hours covering generative AI fundamentals, prompting techniques, and responsible AI practices. Phase 2 is a hybrid specialisation focused on storytelling, creative production, and advanced AI tools through project-based learning.
Who is eligible for the AI scholarships?
The initiative targets emerging talent and creative professionals in media, entertainment, animation, gaming, and digital storytelling. Interested individuals are encouraged to enrol through the official channels, as enrolment is currently open.
What is the role of Google and YouTube in this programme?
Google and YouTube co-developed the curriculum alongside IICT. Google's Career Certificates provide the foundational AI training, while YouTube's platform best practices are incorporated to help learners enhance content reach and engagement.
Why is this initiative significant for India's creative sector?
India's media and digital landscape is rapidly integrating AI into content creation, production, and distribution. This programme is one of the first sector-specific AI skilling pushes targeting creative professionals, aiming to build a talent pool that can bridge technical AI capability with creative application.
