Samsung Innovation Campus 2026 to train 2,000 Karnataka youth in AI

Samsung India announced the launch of its Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) 2026 in Karnataka on Friday, where it plans to train 2,000 people in artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI skills.

The programme, launched in partnership with Nrupathunga University, Bengaluru, was inaugurated in the presence of higher education minister Basavaraj Rayareddy and senior academics from the university.

The initiative aims to expand access to practical, industry-relevant AI education and strengthen Karnataka’s technology talent pool. Samsung said its Innovation Campus programme has trained more than 3,000 in Karnataka so far.


SIC, a global education and skilling programme, is in its fourth year in India. It targets youth aged 18-25 and provides hands-on training, mentorship, and opportunities to apply AI skills to practical challenges.

The Karnataka programme is part of Samsung India’s wider SIC 2026 initiative to train 20,000 youth across 10 states. The company said the programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Electronics Sector Skills Council of India (ESSCI) and the Telecom Sector Skill Council (TSSC), according to a news release.

“Increasing access to emerging technology skills will be critical to India’s next phase of growth,” said Shubham Mukherjee, head, corporate communications and CSR, Samsung South West Asia. “Through Samsung Innovation Campus, we want to help young people become active contributors to India’s innovation economy.”

Rayareddy said developing a skilled workforce would be critical to Karnataka’s continued technology leadership as AI transforms industries. He said collaborations between academia and industry could help students develop capabilities relevant to emerging technologies.

SIC 2026 will focus on structured learning and practical application in AI and generative AI. Samsung said more than 20,000 participants, 48% of which were women, were trained through the programme across India in 2025.

The programme is part of Samsung India’s broader corporate social responsibility initiatives focussed on education and youth skilling. The company also runs Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, which helps young people develop technology-based solutions for real-world challenges, and Samsung DOST, which focusses on industry-ready skills for sales and technical service roles.