Software major Microsoft has decided to train and certify 15,000 workers on Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills by 2022, in partnership with education provider General Assembly (GA). The training will revolve around technologies including data science, Machine Learning (ML), Cloud and data engineering among others. "According to the World Economic Forum, up to 133 million new roles could be created by 2022 and to address this challenge, Microsoft and GA will power 2,000 job transitions for workers into AI and ML roles in year one and will train an additional 13,000 workers with AI-related skills across sectors in the next three years," the company wrote in a blog-post on Friday.

In order to create consistent standards for AI skills, Microsoft will be the founding member of GA's AI Standards Board which will later be joined by other industry-leading companies at the forefront of AI disruption. "Over the next six months, the Standards Board will define skills standards, develop assessments, design a career framework, and build an industry-recognized credential for AI skills," the post said.

To ensure that businesses can meet ever-growing AI talent needs, GA and Microsoft will establish an AI Talent Network to source candidates for hire and project-based work. GA will leverage its existing network of 22 campuses and the broader Adecco ecosystem to create a repeatable talent pipeline for the AI Talent Network. As part of the partnerships, together, the organisations will establish an AI Talent Network to source candidates for hire and project-based work.

GA will leverage its existing network of 22 campuses and the broader Adecco ecosystem to create a repeatable talent pipeline for the AI Talent Network, the post added.

"We are thrilled to combine our industry and technical expertise with GA to help close the skills gap and ensure businesses can maximise their potential in our AI-driven economy," said Jean-Philippe Courtois, Executive Vice President and President of Global Sales, Marketing and Operations at Microsoft.