Prime Minister Donald Tusk has proclaimed the launch of Google’s AI training program as a major, sensational development—yet the program has actually been running since January. Prepared in cooperation with the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), it was presented in December 2024 and finalized over several preceding months.
A Slip or a Lie?
During Thursday’s conference, attended by Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the prime minister either misspoke significantly or provided inaccurate information.
“When I invited Google to cooperate with Poland 11 years ago, I never imagined our partnership would reach such an impressive finale as what we’ve discussed today,”
—Donald Tusk said.
The problem is that Google’s Polish branch in Warsaw was already established in 2005. According to Tusk’s own timeline, he supposedly invited the company to Poland at a time when it had already been operating there for nine years.
Program Already in Operation
Niezalezna.pl reached out to employees at Google Poland.
“The program presented today isn’t entirely new. It’s already active,”
— Google Poland employees has stressed.
Indeed, on December 17, 2024, Google Poland and the Warsaw School of Economics issued a joint statement:
Google and the Warsaw School of Economics are launching a free, intensive training program, Tomorrow’s Skills: AI for SMEs. Ten thousand companies will acquire practical AI competencies, enabling them to become pioneers in this field. The training will last five weeks and kick off in January 2025. Poland’s economy stands on the threshold of a tremendous opportunity brought by the AI revolution. According to a report by Implement Consulting Group, AI adoption could boost Poland’s GDP by up to 8%, or as much as 55 billion euros annually within a decade. It is estimated that 59% of this increase will come from improved employee productivity.
These figures align precisely with those shared at Thursday’s conference.
The Thursday Announcement
“We are signing a memorandum on utilizing artificial intelligence in the fields of energy, cybersecurity, and more,”
—Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, during his meeting with Prime Minister Tusk in Warsaw.
“We expect that this will contribute to an 8% growth in Poland’s GDP.”
There was, however, an added layer of irony. This very same program was already under the patronage of the Ministry of Digital Affairs.
“The Tomorrow’s Skills: AI program, prepared by Google and SGH and under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Digital Affairs, addresses the needs of entrepreneurs and aims to level the playing field for Polish SMEs. Its goal is to equip 10,000 specialists and SME owners to become AI pioneers through an intensive training program focusing on practical AI applications in business, change management, and AI tools.”
Furthermore, the program earmarked 1,000 places specifically for representatives of SMEs in flood-affected areas:
A free, five-week training course led by Google experts, SGH faculty, and business practitioners. Applications are open until January 23, 2025, via the website umiejetnoscijutra.pl.