Summary
Samsung has launched its 2026 Innovation Campus in Karnataka with Nrupathunga University to train 2,000 people aged 18–25 in AI and generative AI. The programme is part of a wider plan to reach 20,000 youth across 10 Indian states.
Samsung India has launched the 2026 edition of its Samsung Innovation Campus in Karnataka, with a commitment to train 2,000 young people in artificial intelligence skills. The programme is being delivered in partnership with Nrupathunga University, Bengaluru, and is aimed at participants aged 18–25.
The launch took place on 17 September 2026 at the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Industry and Commerce in the presence of Karnataka Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy and representatives from Samsung, Nrupathunga University, the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI) and Mapping Skills.
What the Karnataka programme includes
Samsung says participants will receive industry-relevant education in AI and generative AI, along with hands-on training, expert mentoring and opportunities to apply their learning to practical challenges. Generative AI broadly refers to systems that can create outputs such as text, images, software code or other content from user instructions; practical training can help participants understand how such systems are used in working environments.
The 2026 programme is being implemented with ESSCI and the Telecom Sector Skill Council. The announcement describes a structured learning model that combines classroom-style education, practical application and mentorship. It presents the initiative as a career-readiness programme rather than a product-training course tied to a specific Samsung device.
Samsung said the Karnataka initiative supports the state’s effort to expand access to applied AI education and develop a technology workforce. The company reported that its Innovation Campus programmes have trained more than 3,000 people in Karnataka to date.
Part of a wider India programme
The Karnataka commitment forms part of Samsung’s broader target to empower 20,000 youth across 10 Indian states through Samsung Innovation Campus 2026. Samsung said the programme is now in its fourth year in India.
The company reported that the 2025 edition trained more than 20,000 participants across the country, with women accounting for 48% of participation. Those figures provide context for the scale of the programme, while the Karnataka announcement sets a specific 2026 target of 2,000 trainees.
The initiative links a university partnership with sector skill councils and a technology company’s training programme. Its immediate significance is the planned expansion of practical AI and generative AI education for young people in a state with a large technology workforce. The announcement reports a training commitment and programme structure; it does not report employment or post-training outcome figures for the 2026 cohort.