Verizon and Goodwill launch $70 million free AI training program nationwide
Verizon is investing $70 million with Goodwill Industries to provide free artificial-intelligence courses for job seekers, small firms and teachers across the United States.
In response to accelerating AI adoption, Verizon disclosed a $70 million nationwide training drive in partnership with Goodwill Industries. The curriculum, sourced from major tech firms such as IBM, Google, Anthropic, Microsoft and OpenAI, will be delivered free of charge to job seekers, small businesses and educators, targeting hundreds of thousands of learners. The company is boosting its prior $20 million commitment by an additional $50 million, a move linked to a recent plan to cut 13,000 positions.
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman emphasized the need for corporate collaboration, suggesting that if all Fortune 100 firms contributed similar sums, a multibillion-dollar fund could emerge. Goodwill CEO Steven Preston highlighted the surge in AI requirements in job ads, while senior vice president Donna Epps noted Goodwill's local presence makes it an ideal partner for scaling the effort.
Why it matters
Equipping workers with AI skills helps them stay employable as technology reshapes the U.S. labor market.
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