Organisations are warming up to the idea of offering employees home-grown courses that are aligned with their business needs

Artificial Intelligence is the elephant in every room. It has become an inescapable reality. And the larger the room and the bigger the stakes, the more compelling and urgent the need to integrate AI into workaday functions. And corporates are responding to its trumpet call with urgency.

In July this year, EY launched its AI Academy, which began as an initiative to train its employees in GenAI, and has now outgrown initial expectations.

After upskilling 44,000 employees internally, EY India is now taking this expertise to the industry working with enterprises in Telecom, Infrastructure, Banking, IT/ITeS, and FMCG to help build AI capabilities through tailored programmes and sector-specific use cases, says a communication from the company.

Likewise, experiential learning technology company KNOLSKAPE launched AI Academy, which is a role-specific, simulation-based learning platform designed to build AI fluency across India's workforce.

The focus

The GenAI courses offered by EY combine foundational learning with practical applications tailored to business needs. It supports employees at all levels -- from operational teams to senior decision-makers -- enabling them to understand, adopt and apply AI in their day-to-day work. Training modules are designed to identify and implement AI use cases that deliver real business impact, be it revenue growth, cost efficiency, enhanced customer experience or risk mitigation.

The duration of these programmes range from two-day workshops designed for organisational leaders to longer ones aimed at those in technical roles such as data scientist, data engineers and GenAI engineers,

According to a communication from KNOLSKAPE, its AI Academy covers courses for 'individual contributors', 'mid-level managers', and 'senior leaders'. Each programme is powered by hands-on learning using immersive simulations and role-specific coaching.

Organisations can choose from ready-made modules, customised journeys, or simulation licenses, all supported by real-time analytics and facilitation, it adds.

IIM Kozhikode in association with Simplilearn is running a professional certificate programme in AI-Powered Product Development and Innovation, targetting mid- to senior-level professionals looking to lead AI-driven innovation and transformation in their organisations.

A recent report by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, estimates that India will require one million AI professionals by 2026. Today, there are just 416,000, leaving a gap of over 213,000 skilled professionals.

"Many organisations are experimenting with AI, but lack the internal readiness to scale it," says Rajiv Jayaraman, founder and chief executive officer of KNOLSKAPE.

"The real challenge is not just access to tools, it is about building leadership alignment, decision-making confidence, and on-ground capability to drive outcomes. The AI Academy was built to close that gap not just with content, but with deep, behaviour-driven learning that translates into enterprise impact."

Corporates set up AI academies for workforce