A Queens training hub led by Pursuit plans to reach up to 40,000 New Yorkers by 2032, but Mohawk Valley residents should watch for statewide programs and verify eligibility before applying.

The AI Jobs Institute, a new workforce hub planned for Long Island City, will train New Yorkers for jobs being reshaped by artificial intelligence and connect participants with employers, state officials announced Thursday, Oct. 22.

The institute will be designed and operated by Pursuit, a nonprofit workforce organization based in Queens. Governor Kathy Hochul’s office says the center is intended to train up to 40,000 people by 2032, support new employment pathways and produce research that can guide workforce policy.

For Mohawk Valley readers, the important distinction is geographic. The physical center will be in Queens, not Utica or Rome. State officials describe its reach as statewide, and Pursuit already leads a separate statewide program called AI Prep for Jobs, but the announcement does not yet provide a complete application calendar, local classroom list or travel support plan for the new institute.

How the AI Jobs Institute is funded

Empire State Development is providing $3.06 million for Pursuit’s new Long Island City training hub. That amount includes $1.5 million from the Office of Strategic Workforce Development and $1.56 million through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.

The governor’s office describes total public investment in the project as $10 million. Construction is expected to begin during winter 2026, with full occupancy planned for mid-2027.

The official state announcement says the institute will work in four main areas:

• Workforce training: AI-enabled career pathways and immersive, AI-focused programming.
• Innovation: Pilot projects and tools, including models that small businesses and nonprofit organizations can use.
• Policy and research: Data and recommendations for state and federal workforce strategies.
• Employer and community connections: Bringing employers, workers, educators and industry partners together.

The institute also will house the New York Global Tech and Innovation Center, an initiative of the Queens Borough President’s Office. The center plans to connect underrepresented entrepreneurs with capital, corporate partnerships and global networks, and aims to help launch more than a dozen high-growth startups over five years.

Who Pursuit serves

Pursuit says it trains adults who have often been excluded from high-paying technology careers. According to the state release, 70 percent of its participants are Black or Latine, 50 percent receive public assistance, 60 percent do not have a four-year degree and 40 percent are immigrants.

The organization reports that its participants have moved from average earnings of about $18,000 to average starting salaries above $94,000 after training. Those figures come from Pursuit and describe its historical program results. They are not a guarantee of admission, completion, employment or salary for a future AI Jobs Institute participant.

Pursuit says the new institute will open in 2027. Its current AI-Native Program describes a seven-month curriculum focused on building software with AI tools while developing product knowledge, business judgment, critical thinking and communication.

The separate AI Prep for Jobs initiative is expected to train 420 low-income New Yorkers statewide. Residents should use the institute’s official information page and Pursuit’s main site for verified application dates. Applicants should be cautious about unofficial advertisements or anyone asking for unexpected fees or sensitive information before a formal application opens.

Why this matters in the Mohawk Valley

Artificial intelligence is not only creating jobs with “AI” in the title. It is changing office work, software development, health care administration, manufacturing, logistics, financial services, customer support and small-business operations. That means local workers may need both technical skills and a clear understanding of where human judgment remains essential.

The Mohawk Valley already has a growing training network tied to health care, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing. The Phoenix recently reported on healthcare training grants reaching MVHS, Rome Health and Bassett. We also covered how SUNY Poly and MVCC expanded semiconductor training.

The AI Jobs Institute could add a statewide resource, but local benefit will depend on practical access. Questions still needing answers include whether Mohawk Valley residents can participate remotely, whether local colleges or nonprofits will host programs, what prior experience will be required, how many seats will be available outside New York City and whether participants will receive help with equipment, broadband, child care or transportation.

Those details matter because a program can be statewide in name while remaining difficult to reach for people who cannot travel to Queens or leave work for full-time training.

Employers and advisers behind the plan

The project is backed by public, philanthropic, technology and civic partners. The state lists Ascendium Education Group, Wells Fargo, Google.org, OpenAI, Anthropic, Mizuho, Siegel Family Endowment, Con Edison, Spectrum, MetLife Foundation, Adobe, the New York Jobs CEO Council and the Partnership Fund for New York City among the supporters.

A national advisory council will guide the institute. Former U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona will chair the group. Founding members come from organizations including Opportunity@Work, the New York Jobs CEO Council, OpenAI, Robin Hood, Google.org, the Consortium for Worker Education, Anthropic, Jobs for the Future, CUNY, Tech:NYC, America Achieves and the Burning Glass Institute.

A broad advisory group can help align training with real hiring demand. It also makes transparency important. Readers should expect clear information about curriculum standards, employer commitments, completion rates, job placement, starting pay, participant debt and outcomes for people who do not finish.

How this fits New York’s wider AI policy

The institute is part of a larger state response to AI’s effect on work. Hochul’s FutureWorks Commission is expected to deliver proposals by the end of December 2026. The state says those recommendations will address job training and placement, job quality, the social safety net and support for small businesses.

That work should account for both opportunity and displacement. Training can help workers move into new roles, but it cannot replace fair hiring, wage standards, privacy protections and support for people whose jobs change faster than they can retrain.

Empire State Development’s Office of Strategic Workforce Development supports employer-aligned training across New York. Its grant application programs are offline for the remainder of 2026, with future windows expected to be identified in 2027, according to the agency. Workers and local organizations can join the office’s mailing list for official updates.

What prospective applicants can do now

• Bookmark the official AI Jobs Institute and Pursuit pages.
• Write down your current skills, schedule limits and the type of work you want.
• Ask whether training is remote, hybrid or in person before paying for travel or equipment.
• Request written details on cost, time commitment, completion rates and job-placement support.
• Do not assume that a program guarantees a job or a specific salary.

Are you a Mohawk Valley worker, student or small-business owner trying to prepare for AI-related changes? Share the skill or support you need most in the comments. That local perspective can help show whether a statewide training plan is reaching people beyond New York City.

Sources: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul, Oct. 22, 2026; Pursuit; Pursuit’s June 2026 institute announcement; Empire State Development Office of Strategic Workforce Development.