No city employs more tech workers than New York. Now it’s spending $10 million to train 40,000 people for AI jobs
OpenAI, Anthropic and Google are supplying credits and certificates to a Queens nonprofit that has trained about 500 people in AI so far.
New York City, which boasts the largest number of technology professionals among North American metropolitan areas, is expanding its workforce development efforts by investing $10 million to train 40,000 lower-income residents for artificial intelligence (AI) jobs over the next six years. The AI Jobs Institute, a new training hub located in Queens, will be established and managed by the nonprofit organization Pursuit.
The institute's mission is to equip New Yorkers with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the rapidly evolving AI workforce, while also informing state and federal workforce policy.
The AI Jobs Institute is set to open in Long Island City, an area that has experienced significant growth in tech employment in recent years. Between 2022 and 2025, the metro area added 30,640 tech workers, bringing the total to 394,300 and surpassing the San Francisco Bay Area for the first time in CBRE's annual tech talent report. Much of this growth has been driven by financial institutions hiring AI talent.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the AI Jobs Institute on Thursday, emphasizing the importance of preparing New Yorkers for the jobs of tomorrow. The hub will offer cutting-edge courses and career pathways, allowing thousands of residents to acquire the skills needed to compete for well-paying positions in the AI industry. Hochul cited the institute's role in ensuring that workers are protected and prepared during a time when AI is transforming the workforce and causing uncertainty.
The institute's development builds upon an existing partnership between the state and Pursuit. In 2021, FutureWorks, a program launched by Hochul, named Pursuit the statewide lead for AI Prep for Jobs, a initiative aimed at training 420 low-income New Yorkers through accelerated courses instead of degree programs. Pursuit has since shifted its curriculum to focus on AI, offering a 630-hour program that is regularly updated with the latest industry developments.
Since its inception, Pursuit's AI program has trained approximately 400 to 500 individuals, with 70% of participants being Black or Latine, half receiving public assistance, 60% lacking a four-year degree, and 40% being immigrants. The organization claims that its programs have generated more than $1 billion in lifetime wage gains for participants.
The AI Jobs Institute will complement the FutureWorks Commission's upcoming proposals, which are due by the end of December, on job training, placement, job quality, the social safety net, and support for small businesses. The Institute will also collaborate with leading AI companies, such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, to provide trainees with access to their training platforms, credits, and certificates.
These partnerships aim to ensure that trainees learn on the same tools that employers use, enhancing their employability in the AI job market.
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