Salesforce commits to train 1,00,000 learners in 2026 under ‘YuvaAI Bharat' skill program

New Delhi: Cloud-computing firm Salesforce on Tuesday announced partnership with SmartBridge, an edtech organisation, to support a nationwide skilling initiative that aims to equip learners across India with future-ready AI skills.

The program will target learners from academia and industry, leveraging Salesforce’s free online learning platform ‘Trailhead' to deliver AI training to 1,00,000 learners by the end of 2026.

"Led by Smartbridge, Salesforce will contribute to the shared vision of the ‘YuvaAI Bharat: GenAI Skill Catalyst’, delivering future-ready digital education, bridging the critical gap between academia and the workforce," according to a release.

Through Salesforce’s free online learning platform, the program will give learners hands-on experience with a blended program of live expert sessions and self-paced learning that is expected to deliver scalable AI training.

On completion, participants will receive digital credentials validating their expertise in AI-driven business applications.

With a strong thrust on Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, the initiative aims to build a robust AI talent pool by helping learners earn the ‘Agentblazer Champion Level' enhancing employability through industry-aligned, hands-on learning.

The initiative is in tune with Salesforce’s vision to enable the workforce for the AI era and bridge the growing skills gap, while offering learners exposure to Agentforce, an enterprise-grade system for agentic AI, built on Salesforce’s platform.

Arundhati Bhattacharya, President and CEO of Salesforce South Asia, noted that India, with its immense talent pool, is not just participating in the global AI transformation, but "is poised to lead it".

"Unlocking this unprecedented AI opportunity requires equipping our people with future-ready AI skills to innovate and build the future," Bhattacharya said.

Amarendar Katkam, Founder and CEO of SmartBridge, said the company's mission has been about bridging the gap between academia and industry by making emerging technology skills accessible to all.

"Partnering with Salesforce and IndiaAI allows us to scale this vision nationwide - empowering students, educators, and professionals with the practical, job-ready AI skills needed to thrive in the future workforce," Katkam added.