Commerce Department Announces $25 Million For AI Upskilling Initiative
Commerce Department Announces $25 Million For AI Upskilling Initiative
Publish Date: 2026-06-01 08:00:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick speaks onstage during AI Honors hosted by the Washington AI Network at Waldorf Astoria on June 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Haddad Media)
Getty Images for Haddad Media
The Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has launched a new initiative to further the implementation of the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, a national strategy to secure U.S. dominance in artificial intelligence. EDA will put $25 million towards the AI Upskill Accelerator, a national grant competition to fund industry-led sectoral workforce partnerships that help upskill and reskill workers around AI technologies.
EDA is launching the AI Upskill Accelerator as part of sweeping overhauls at the agency enabled by its first congressional reauthorization in over 20 years, included in the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024, the biennial federal water infrastructure bill.
The $25 million in funding is not new funding. It is repurposed funding made available following the wind-down of three prior EDA programs, including the University Centers, the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms, and the STEM Talent Challenge grants.
“AI is increasingly becoming a core driver of productivity and growth across industries,” said Ben Page, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief Operating Officer. “It is essential to equip American workers with the AI skills needed to ensure that regions can attract investment, adopt advanced technologies, and sustain long-term economic growth.”
EDA Pushes for Sectoral Partnerships for AI Upskilling
The major objective of the AI Upskill Accelerator is to make more funding available to support industry-led sectoral partnerships focused on AI education and workforce development.
In sectoral partnerships, employers from the same industry come together to identify skill needs. The industry-led partnership then coordinates with universities, community…
