London-headquartered Apolitical, a global online learning platform and community for public servants, has closed a $5 million grant from Google.org, the charitable arm of Google.
Expansion of the program
The funding will be deployed to scale up Apolitical’s online Government AI Campus program. Over the next two years, this program aims to provide one million public servants worldwide with the knowledge, skills, and tools to harness the benefits of generative AI, while managing the risks.
It will expand the AI Campus through five new courses, convenings and briefings for senior decision-makers, a thought leadership series, and new tools and frameworks for government decision-makers. It will also support the adaptation of the AI Campus content to different country contexts, partnering with government ministries in key regions. This includes translation into ten languages, including French, Italian, Portuguese, Arabic, Korean and Japanese), developing country-specific case studies, and drawing on local and regional AI experts.
Rowan Barnett, Google.org’s Director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa said: “We believe in the transformative power of AI for the public sector, and we’re committed to enabling civil servants globally to leverage this technology responsibly and effectively for their constituents’ benefit. Google.org is proud to support the Government AI Campus, which serves a critical role in preparing future-ready, technology-fluent government workers and leaders.”
AI to train civil servants
In the age of AI promising transformative impacts across society and the economy, governments must become AI-capable to keep pace with the opportunities and threats posed by the technology and its application.
Founded by Robyn Scott, Apolitical’s Government AI Campus is a trusted knowledge and learning hub for governments and over 200 million civil servants in the world on governing and applying the technology. The Government AI Campus delivered training to 13,000 public servants during its pilot phase, powered by content from world-renowned institutions such as Stanford Online and with initial funding from Google.org and Rockefeller Foundation. Through this program, public servants can access peer-to-peer communities, free online courses, and masterclasses with global experts.
With the transformative potential of Generative AI increasingly apparent, governments everywhere are seeking to leverage its potential to enhance service delivery and policy implementation and enhance government operations. The Government AI Campus will provide public servants with the knowledge, skills, and tools to harness the benefits of generative AI while managing the risks.
Robyn Scott, CEO and co-founder of Apolitical said: “This funding will support a critical leveling up of governments to succeed and lead in the age of AI. Our data shows that 60% of public servants are already using generative AI in their work. But only 35% have received guidance and 15% have received training. We’re excited to provide world-class training and resources to close this gap. We are grateful to Google.org for its generous support, which will enable us to support governments with the ambition and scale demanded by the moment.”
Murat Soncul, Head of Privacy at Central Digital and Data Office, Cabinet Office, UK said: “The AI Campus has taught me that I have a healthy balance of being excited but mindful and cautious about AI and its potential harms. It has made me think of ethical issues; AI is not just a technological innovation but it is about the people, services, and data that sits behind it.”
What do we think about Apolitical?
The platform empowers public servants globally with essential AI knowledge. With a $5 million grant from Google.org, its Government AI Campus will expand offering critical training to public servants. This initiative ensures governments can leverage AI effectively and responsibly, fostering tech-fluent leadership and enhancing public service delivery worldwide.
