Google Overhauls Learning Platform to Make AI Fluency a Core Business Priority

Google just made a bold move: it overhauled Grow—its long-standing internal learning platform—to focus almost entirely on AI.

Once home to thousands of diverse courses (from building products to solving Rubik’s cubes), Grow is now centered on one thing: helping employees meaningfully integrate AI into their daily work.

And while this shift reflects Google’s broader push to lead in the generative AI era, it also reveals something deeper:

AI fluency isn’t a side initiative anymore—it’s the new core of employee enablement.

Why This Matters for People Leaders

Many organizations are still asking if they should teach AI. Google’s already decided how.

This goes beyond offering AI courses. It’s about evolving your learning strategy to support business-critical fluency.

• Re-evaluating programs to ensure they align with current outcomes
• Prioritizing hands-on, role-specific AI enablement
• Embedding fluency as a core capability—not just a nice-to-have

It’s a signal to People leaders: learning strategy must now be business strategy.

From Perks to Priorities

Grow used to be a playground for curiosity—filled with everything from 3D printing to personal finance sessions. It was a beloved part of Google’s internal culture.

But in a memo to course creators, Google made the shift clear:

“Many of the platform’s courses were unused and not relevant to the work we do today.”

The shift reflects a broader move across Google: streamlining internal programs to focus on what drives real impact. In this case, that means retiring low-use courses and doubling down on AI as a business priority.

What This Signals About AI Fluency at Google

While Google hasn’t published its internal curriculum, the implications are clear:

• Employees are expected to integrate AI tools (like Gemini, Duet AI, and more) into daily workflows
• Learning is tightly mapped to role performance and business outcomes
• Curiosity is still welcome—but only in service of fluency that moves the needle

Google isn’t just racing to keep up with AI from a product standpoint—it’s ensuring its people are equipped to use and build with those tools.

Lessons for People Teams Everywhere

Google’s shift offers a set of takeaways that People and L&D leaders can act on now:

1. Audit your learning ecosystem: What’s actually being used? What aligns with your top priorities? What’s helping your teams work better with AI—not just learn about it?

2. Build fluency into the flow of work: Make sure your AI learning programs aren’t theoretical. Focus on how tools apply to real roles. And measure fluency by usage and outcomes—not just completion rates.

3. Let fluency drive culture, not just skills: The goal isn’t just capability—it’s confidence, curiosity, and change-readiness. AI fluency becomes a multiplier when your people share what they’re building, experimenting with, and learning from.