IBM sets a bold ambition to skill 5 million Indians in AI, cybersecurity and quantum by 2030

IBM today announced its commitment to skill 5 million learners across India in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, and Quantum Computing by 2030. Delivered through IBM SkillsBuild, this initiative advances IBM’s mission to build an equitable, future-ready workforce, broaden access and opportunity to advanced digital skills, and employability for students and adult learners.

Expanding access to future technologies through SkillsBuild

Through this initiative, IBM will expand AI and emerging technology education across schools, universities, and vocational and skilling ecosystems. It will also collaborate with institutions like the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to drive hands-on AI learning pathways and faculty enablement programmes, curriculum integration, hackathons, and internships.

“India possesses the talent and ambition to lead the world in AI and Quantum. Fluency in frontier technologies will define economic competitiveness, scientific progress, and societal transformation,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, IBM. “Our commitment to skill five million people is an investment in that future. By democratising access to advanced skills, we are enabling the youth and students to build, innovate, and accelerate India’s growth.”

IBM also continues to strengthen school-level readiness by co-developing the AI curriculum for senior secondary students, along with teaching resources including the AI Project Cookbook, Teacher Handbook, and explainer modules. These programmes are designed to embed computational thinking and responsible AI principles early, while enabling teachers to deliver AI education confidently and at scale.

At the core of this initiative is IBM SkillsBuild, one of the world’s most accessible technology learning ecosystems. The programme offers over 1,000 courses in AI, cybersecurity, Quantum, Cloud, Data, Sustainability, and workplace readiness for learners, educators, and institutions. With 16 million+ learners globally, SkillsBuild, among other programmes, is central to IBM’s mission to train 30 million people worldwide by 2030, with India as one of the biggest accelerators of that ambition.