Sundar Pichai Unveils New Google AI Certificate to Boost India–US Tech Collaboration

New Delhi | 19 Feb 2026 Sundar Pichai has announced a new Google AI Professional Certificate course aimed at building strong AI skills among students and young professionals. The program will be launched under the India–America Connect Initiative, marking a major step in strengthening technology and AI cooperation between the two countries. The announcement was made during the AI Summit 2026 held in New Delhi. Speaking at the event, Pichai highlighted the need to combine advanced infrastructure with skill development. He said, "Today, we are announcing the India-America Connect Initiative, which will deliver new sub-sea cable routes to increase AI connectivity between India and the US and multiple locations across the southern hemisphere. For the opportunities this initiative creates, we should also invest in skilling, which is why we are announcing our most ambitious skilling programs here. This includes a new Google AI Professional Certificate program to master AI in their work..." The AI certificate course will be developed in collaboration with Wadhwani AI and is designed to reach students and early-career professionals across India. The focus of the program will be practical learning, helping people apply AI tools and knowledge directly in their professional work. Pichai also spoke about Google’s long-term vision for India, especially its growing investment in Visakhapatnam. Reflecting on his personal connection with the city, he said, “Through Visakhapatnam, Vizag. I remember it being a quiet and modest coastal city brimming with potential. Now in that same city, Google is establishing a full-stack AI hub, part of our USD 15 billion infrastructure investment in India. When finished, this hub will house gigawatt-scale compute and a new international subsea cable gateway, bringing jobs and cutting-edge AI to people and businesses across India. Sitting on the train, I never imagined Vizag becoming a global AI hub.” Sundar Pichai Unveils New Google AI Certificate to Boost India–US Tech Collaboration Sundar Pichai has announced a new Google AI Professional Certificate course aimed at building strong AI skills among students and young professionals. The program will be launched under the India–America Connect Initiative, marking a major step in strengthening technology and AI cooperation between the two countries. The announcement was made during the AI Summit 2026 held in New Delhi. Speaking at the event, Pichai highlighted the need to combine advanced infrastructure with skill development. He said, "Today, we are announcing the India-America Connect Initiative, which will deliver new sub-sea cable routes to increase AI connectivity between India and the US and multiple locations across the southern hemisphere. For the opportunities this initiative creates, we should also invest in skilling, which is why we are announcing our most ambitious skilling programs here. This includes a new Google AI Professional Certificate program to master AI in their work..." The AI certificate course will be developed in collaboration with Wadhwani AI and is designed to reach students and early-career professionals across India. The focus of the program will be practical learning, helping people apply AI tools and knowledge directly in their professional work. Pichai also spoke about Google’s long-term vision for India, especially its growing investment in Visakhapatnam. Reflecting on his personal connection with the city, he said, “Through Visakhapatnam, Vizag. I remember it being a quiet and modest coastal city brimming with potential. Now in that same city, Google is establishing a full-stack AI hub, part of our USD 15 billion infrastructure investment in India. When finished, this hub will house gigawatt-scale compute and a new international subsea cable gateway, bringing jobs and cutting-edge AI to people and businesses across India. Sitting on the train, I never imagined Vizag becoming a global AI hub.”