Verizon has launched a $70 million artificial intelligence training programme across the US after previously announcing plans to cut 13,000 jobs. The telecoms giant is now offering free AI skills training to job seekers, displaced workers, educators and small businesses.
The initiative, called Verizon AI Skills for America, builds on a $20 million reskilling and career-transition fund the company established for departing employees. Verizon is adding a further $50 million, bringing its total commitment to $70 million.
The company said the new programme is designed to help Americans adapt to rapid changes in the workplace as AI becomes increasingly important across industries.
Verizon's $70M AI Training Programme
Verizon AI Skills for America will provide free access to AI training resources from several major technology and education companies.
The online programme brings together material from OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Anthropic, IBM and Coursera, allowing participants to access training through a single portal.
Verizon said the programme will target job seekers, early-career professionals, displaced workers, educators and small businesses. The company expects the initiative to reach hundreds of thousands of people, according to Reuters.
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman said AI would significantly change the workforce and called on other large companies to contribute to similar efforts. "If every Fortune 100 company put $50 million or $70 million into this, we have a multibillion-dollar fund," Schulman told Reuters.
In another statement, Schulman added: 'Strengthening the American economy starts with making sure every individual has the opportunity to adapt and succeed in a rapidly changing world. AI isn't just a technological shift- it will change the face of every workforce around the world.
'Companies, working closely together and with the public sector, have a responsibility to invest in people with the same urgency they invest in technology. By giving people and small businesses free access to the best AI training, we are helping workers retain their jobs, navigate transitions, support their families, and help small businesses grow – while building confidence in our American economy.'
Verizon Cut 13,000 Jobs Before Expanding AI Training
The timing of the programme is likely to attract attention. Verizon previously announced plans to cut 13,000 jobs and subsequently committed $20 million to help departing employees gain new skills, including AI-related skills.
The latest announcement adds another $50 million to that commitment. That means Verizon's original $20 million reskilling fund has effectively become part of a much broader $70 million initiative aimed at workers and businesses across the US.
The company has not linked the 13,000 job cuts directly to AI. Instead, the training initiative reflects Verizon's stated view that workers will need new skills as technology changes the nature of employment.
The company is also working with community organisations to provide support beyond online courses. Goodwill Industries International, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship are among the organisations involved.
Why Verizon Is Offering AI Training For Free
Verizon said access to AI training can be a barrier for workers who do not know where to begin. Goodwill Industries International CEO Steven Preston said employer demand for AI proficiency has risen rapidly, while many workers struggle to identify which skills they need.
The community-based element of Verizon's programme is intended to address that problem by pairing online learning with local coaching and career support. The initiative will launch nationwide, although more intensive support will initially be available in selected regional markets. Verizon said it plans to collect feedback from participants and update the curriculum as AI and employer requirements evolve.
Verizon Wants Other Companies To Join AI Training Push
Schulman has also called on other major companies to invest in workforce training. The Verizon CEO argued that if large US companies contributed tens of millions of dollars each, the combined investment could create a multibillion-dollar pool for AI skills development.
'Creating meaningful economic opportunity in the AI era is not something any one company can achieve alone,' Verizon Chief Responsible Business Officer, Donna Epps, said. 'We are deeply grateful to our tech partners for collaborating with us to bring world-class AI training to local communities entirely free of charge.'
The push comes as employers increasingly look for workers who can use AI tools in specific roles rather than simply understand the technology in general.
For Verizon, the $70 million initiative represents a shift from a programme focused primarily on departing employees to a much wider effort covering workers, job seekers, educators and small businesses. The company said people interested in the programme can register through its AI Skills for America portal.
