PRNewswire
Singapore, May 5: AVPN, the largest network of social investors in Asia, today announced the expansion of the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, with an additional USD 10 million contribution from Google.org, to scale AI literacy for educators and youth, as well as to continue supporting workers in a changing job market and to strengthen MSMEs with AI-enabled productivity and business capabilities across Asia-Pacific.
Building on its earlier successes in advancing AI readiness for workers and MSMEs across Asia-Pacific, the next phase of the Fund will emphasise sustained adoption and real-world application of AI skills across classrooms, workplaces, and enterprises. As AI adoption accelerates, ensuring broad access to AI skills is critical to ensuring AI is for all. Rather than treating AI as a niche or specialist skill, the programme positions AI as a new form of foundational literacy that every learner, educator, and enterprise needs in order to participate fully in the next decade of economic and social mobility.
"Asia is at an inflection point where AI is rapidly becoming a foundational literacy, and we have a window of opportunity to get ahead of the curve. With the AI Opportunity Fund, we are equipping the people who will shape that future every day: the teachers in our classrooms, the young people about to enter the workforce, and the MSMEs that keep our economies moving. We partner with those who will shape this future so that AI becomes a trusted part of how our region learns, works, and does business. Our ambition is clear: to help build AI-ready generations and AI-ready enterprises across Asia, so communities can harness AI for innovation and inclusive growth in the years to come," said Naina Subberwal Batra, Chief Executive Officer of AVPN.
Building AI-ready generations in Asia
In its expanded phase, the AI Opportunity Fund will significantly deepen its engagement with educators and youth across Asia-Pacific. By supporting AI literacy in schools, universities, and training institutions, the programme aims to ensure that AI confidence and creativity are built at the very start of the talent pipeline.
The expansion is expected to benefit more than 4.7 million people in education across the region. This focus on educators reflects the Fund's belief that educators are critical enablers: when they gain the skills and tools to embed AI into everyday lessons, assessments, and school management, they can normalise AI fluency across classrooms and build an AI-ready generation that can use and think critically about the tool.
"Educators sit at the heart of this next phase," said Sanjay Gupta, President, Google Asia Pacific. "When teachers are empowered to use AI in thoughtful, responsible ways, they not only transform their own practice, but also unlock opportunity for every learner who passes through their classroom."
Empowering Asia-Pacific creators through targeted skilling
Additionally, the AI Opportunity Fund will introduce a dedicated AI skilling programme for creators, launching its inaugural pilot in one of the APAC markets.
The initiative will be trialled later this year in partnership with key local ecosystem partners. By integrating practical AI tools into foundational day-to-day operations of creative studios, the Fund aims to ensure sustainable growth and artistic longevity for the creative industry.
Strengthening MSMEs and the workforce with AI
Alongside its focus on educators, youth, and creators, the AI Opportunity Fund will continue to support workers and small businesses to harness AI for productivity and growth. The programme will continue to work with AIM ASEAN, which has been officially endorsed by ACCMSME (ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), recognising it as an ASEAN programme aligned with regional MSME priorities and supporting small businesses across ASEAN in building AI-enabled capabilities that enhance efficiency, improve decision-making, and expand access to new markets.
In addition, AVPN will continue to equip workers with practical AI skills relevant to their roles, complementing the focus on students and educators and creating a continuum of support from campus to workplace. By engaging both people and enterprises, the Fund aims to foster an environment where AI is integrated into everyday work and business operations, rather than remaining on the margins.
Driving system-level change through policy engagement
AVPN will expand its collaboration with the ASEAN Foundation, having worked with the organisation in Phase 2, to deepen local adaptation, strengthen MSME-focused training, and advance regional policy engagement. Phase 3 builds on these efforts and will maximise the network established with the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Ministries of Education through the AI Ready ASEAN initiative, which will be formally integrated into the AI Opportunity Fund, as well as leverage the existing e-learning platform to ensure that the training is aligned with the ASEAN-specific context.
By 2030, the expanded programme is projected to reach nearly 5.5 million workers, learners, and MSMEs across Asia-Pacific.
This reflects the AI Opportunity Fund's long-term commitment to making AI a catalyst for inclusive, sustainable growth, and to ensuring that people and enterprises across the region are empowered to thrive in an AI-enabled future.
"Scaling AI literacy in a thoughtful, inclusive way is now central to Asia-Pacific's long-term growth story. By focusing on educators, youth, workers, and MSMEs, the AI Opportunity Fund is ensuring that AI literacy turns into practical skills in classrooms, offices, and businesses. This is exactly the kind of partnership that can strengthen human capital, support innovation, and ensure that the benefits of AI are widely shared across the region," said Antonio Zaballos, Director, Digital Sector Office, Asian Development Bank.
About the AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific
Launched in 2024, the AI Opportunity Fund is a regional initiative advancing inclusive AI readiness across Asia-Pacific through close collaboration with local partners. The Fund has already trained over 500,000 workers and 11,000 small businesses.
About AVPN
AVPN is the largest network of social investors in Asia, comprising over 700 diverse members across 43 markets. Our mission is to increase the flow and effectiveness of financial, human, and intellectual capital in Asia by enabling members to channel resources towards impact. As an ecosystem builder, AVPN enables its members to connect, learn, act, and lead social impact efforts across key pillars while improving the effectiveness of deployed capital, bringing local field needs, regional expertise, and policy insights to the forefront.
About Google.org
Google.org applies Google's innovation, research, and resources to promote progress and expand opportunity for everyone.
About Asian Development Bank
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members--50 from the region.
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