In a September 21 press release, Big Four professional services firm Deloitte announced its plans to introduce the Deloitte AI Academy. This initiative seeks to combine technical expertise with business knowledge to equip workforces with the know-how and skills necessary to successfully leverage AI and other emergent technologies in the competitive business world of tomorrow.
The endeavor is similar in nature to the company’s Cyber and Cloud Institute professional development initiatives, with both programs having an established track record of success—the Cloud Institute received the Brandon Hall Group 2020 Gold Medal for Excellence In Learning. Participants can expect a dynamic and collaborative learning approach tailored to individual students that offers mentorship as well as strengthens teams.
Deloitte’s AI Academy seeks to prepare its students with the knowledge and capabilities necessary to leverage AI technology via programs such as an immersive bootcamp. The Academy’s braintrust combines the expertise of academics, technology companies, in-house AI specialists, career development professionals, and corporate learning experts. Participants can expect to learn not only AI skills and technical data, but knowledge of how the technology is being applied across a variety of industries.
Dan Helfrich, chairman and CEO of Deloitte, said in the announcement: “It's our responsibility as a society and as business leaders to develop new talent with AI skills—not only for the engineers and data scientists, but also for every role in an organization, no matter how technical… Through the Deloitte AI Academy we are endeavoring to develop future leaders with a higher level of AI proficiency for the benefit of our clients and society at large.”
The project is being launched as a pilot program in India, with plans to train an additional 10,000 professionals across the U.S. and other markets within the next four years. The move stands as a significant response to a perceived worldwide shortage of workers with the skills necessary to conceptualize, develop, and implement AI technologies. By expanding the pool of available AI talent, the company seeks to develop a workforce equipped with the knowledge and capabilities to serve Deloitte, its clients, and society at large.
