Dive Brief:

• On Wednesday, Google launched Learn with Google AI, a site of educational resources including a free, online Machine Learning Crash Course with TensorFlow APIs. The site currently features 22 resources, ranging from lessons to tutorials to exercises, with more to come. 
• The crash course includes 25 lessons, more than 40 exercises and a variety of lectures from Google researchers and real-world case studies. 
• The crash course was originally designed for Googlers, 18,000 of which have already enrolled and begun applying lessons learned throughout the company's products and services. Its internal success prompted the company to make the resource publicly available. 

Dive Insight:

Google, a worldwide leader in artificial intelligence and machine learning, has eagerly expanded its educational and professional resources needed to make AI and ML more accessible. The efforts, however, are not purely altruistic. 

By breeding familiarity with its TensorFlow software, Google is ensuring that the next generation of AI and ML experts are familiar with its platform and tools. The expansion of the AI workforce is certainly good for the overall market, but Google is still making an investment in its own future strategy. 

The breadth and depth of Googlers' expertise, especially in AI and ML, make them prime targets for poaching by other organizations looking to build out their own advanced technology stack.

While it's not uncommon for employees to switch companies, especially between the tech giants, as the industry leader Google has heavy advances for competitors to fend off. Building out its potential workforce is critical to maintaining its lead in the longterm.

But the company has also turned its educational focus to other areas to tackle the problem of 50,000 unfilled IT support jobs across the country. In January, Google launched the Google IT Support Professional Certificate, an eight to 12 month program to teach entry-level IT skills to thousands of learners.