Amazon funds AI education for 500,000 students
The tech giant is investing $800,000 to expand AI education with 18 partners, aiming to reach nearly 500,000 students nationwide.
Amazon is expanding an AI education initiative to reach nearly 500,000 students across the United States with an $800,000 investment supporting 18 educational partners.
The move grew out of a fund tied to the White House Presidential AI Challenge, the company said in a statement, after initial interest from districts exceeded the pilot’s scope. Amazon said it more than doubled its original commitment and is partnering with PlayLab to deliver the expanded program.
Educators will build custom AI tools for classroom use while students design AI-powered solutions to community problems, the company said. “The strong response from school districts showed us how many educators are ready to bring AI into the classroom to help students build skills for the future,” said Bettina Stix, Amazon's global director of community impact.
PlayLab will provide custom tools and hands-on training to adapt to each district’s goals. Participating partners span seven U.S. regions and include Fairfax County Public Schools; Alexandria City Public Schools; Bellevue and Renton school districts; Metro Nashville Public Schools; Evanston Township High School District; District of Columbia Public Schools; and charter networks such as KIPP DC and Friendship Charter Schools.
Districts are using the program for varied priorities, from scaling participation to all high school students to educator professional development. In Washington, DC, Amazon and PlayLab ran a two-day workshop with 60 middle and high school students from Friendship Charter Schools who built and tested AI solutions, and Hilah Barbot, head of strategic partnerships at PlayLab, said, “Together with Amazon, we’re meeting districts where they are.”
The company said the effort is part of Amazon Future Engineer’s broader commitments, which include supporting AI skills training for four million U.S. learners and enabling AI curricula for 10,000 educators by 2028, plus up to $30 million in AWS promotional credits and $1.5 million in cash prizes for student winners of the Presidential AI Challenge.
The Recap
- Amazon expands AI education to nearly 500,000 students nationwide.
- Investment rose to $800,000 through the PlayLab partnership.
- Program will support AI curricula for ten thousand educators by 2028.
