India AI Impact Summit 2026: Microsoft plans to skill 20 million Indians with AI by 2030, says Amanda Craig

At the recent AI Impact Summit, Amanda Craig from Microsoft addressed the ongoing challenges related to AI skill shortages. She announced the company's ambitious plan to enhance its training initiatives in India, aiming to equip 20 million individuals with essential AI skills by the year 2030. Craig highlighted the impressive progress made so far, stating, "This year, we have successfully upskilled 5.6 million Indians, and we are now committed to doubling that number to reach 20 million by the end of 2030." To support this initiative, Microsoft has launched a new program designed to elevate educators in India, partnering with local schools, vocational institutes, and universities to empower teachers in delivering AI education. In her discussion, Craig emphasized that closing the skills gap requires a multifaceted approach. She outlined Microsoft's five-pillar strategy that emphasizes infrastructure development, skill enhancement, and fostering cultural capabilities. This comprehensive framework is designed to ensure that interventions are data-driven and impactful. "Measuring the diffusion of knowledge is crucial to understanding our progress and refining our strategies for effective public-private partnerships," Craig explained. Besides educational initiatives, she also shed light on how Microsoft is promoting workforce upskilling through a unique 'Carrots' approach. This method utilizes small incentives to facilitate AI learning within daily work routines. Craig added, "Finding time for extensive training can be challenging, but by integrating learning into everyday tasks and providing easy incentives, we can significantly enhance technology adoption." These incentives take the form of weekly Copilot tips and hackathons aimed at various teams, including non-technical staff and legal departments, to foster AI skill development.