Google.org is committing $2 million to train at least 13,000 Italian university students on artificial intelligence skills, through a program called NewFutures:AI. The initiative targets final-year students at three universities, Roma Tre, the University of Salerno, and the University of Sassari, with free access to structured AI coursework delivered via Coursera. The timing is deliberate: Italy's structural skills gap in AI is widening precisely as the EU AI Act enters its operational phase.
The program is run by INCO and Chance, two non-profit organizations that have deployed this model across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. “AI Works for Italy” is the communications label Google uses publicly; the underlying program is NewFutures:AI. Universities pay nothing. Students pay nothing.
What NewFutures:AI Actually Delivers
The curriculum targets final-year students specifically, focusing on the gap between graduation and entering the workforce. Content areas include ICT, logistics, marketing, finance, and administration. INCO identified these sectors by cross-referencing OECD and European Commission employment data with interviews of more than 1,500 employers and job-seeking young people. Coursera handles delivery. Students who enroll through their university also receive 90 days of free access to Google AI Pro, which includes advanced Gemini features. The redemption deadline is December 31, 2026.
Alongside the university track, Google is also launching a Google AI Professional course aimed at people already in the workforce. The course uses real-scenario exercises designed for professionals who need to integrate AI tools into existing roles. Two tracks, one objective: close the gap between available skills and required skills.
Why Roma Tre, Salerno, and Sassari
Functionally, the first cohort of universities does not include Bocconi, Politecnico di Milano, or La Sapienza. The three selected institutions represent deliberately different contexts: a mid-size Roman university, a major southern Italian campus, and one in Sardinia. Each sits in a distinct labor market with varying proximity to digital industry clusters.
The selection logic is clear: Google is stress-testing the model outside established tech hubs, not replicating a pilot in an already saturated environment. Google has not published detailed selection criteria. The official announcement describes this as an “initial phase,” leaving the door open for additional universities. Institutions interested in applying can check eligibility requirements directly on the official Google blog.
The Italian AI Skills Gap in Numbers
One in five job postings in Italy already requires AI-related skills, according to INCO analysis of 1.4 million Italian job listings drawn from a sample of 31 million entry-level positions across Europe and the UK. The international comparison is uncomfortable: in the United States, 40% of workers use AI tools daily, according to the same INCO research. In Italy, that figure sits at 17%. The gap between large companies and SMEs is sharper still: 60% of large Italian firms have launched structured AI projects, compared to just 15% of small and medium enterprises, per INCO data.
13,000 students represents roughly 0.7% of Italy's approximately 1.8 million university students, a figure insufficient to drive structural change on its own. As a proof of concept and a template for scale, the stakes are meaningful. If the model holds across three very different university contexts, it exists as a replicable framework for other institutions and other funders, public or private.
The next concrete milestone is December 31, 2026: the last day to redeem the 90-day Google AI Pro access linked to the course. The more significant number to track, though, is what comes after Google's stated goal of “at least” 13,000 students. That qualifier matters. It means the ceiling has not been set yet, and the final count depends on how many universities apply in the coming months. Since 2020, Google has stated it has trained more than one million Italians on digital skills. If AI Works for Italy scales, that figure moves to a different order of magnitude entirely.
