Collaboration Between India AI Mission and Gates Foundation Expected Soon: Minister
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Synopsis
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a forthcoming collaboration between the India AI Mission and the Gates Foundation to develop AI solutions in critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and education. This agreement aims to enhance India's capabilities in artificial intelligence and data-driven governance.
Key Takeaways
- Partnership between India AI Mission and Gates Foundation.
- AI-based solutions for agriculture, healthcare, and education.
- Launch of AIKosha for sovereign datasets.
- Development of GPUs as part of IndiaAI Mission.
- Focus on evidence-based decision-making in governance.
New Delhi, March 19 (NationPress) The Union Minister for Railways, Electronics, and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced on Wednesday that a partnership between the India AI Mission and the Gates Foundation, an American philanthropic organization founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, is forthcoming.
In a post on X, the Union Minister stated that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed shortly to develop AI-based solutions aimed at enhancing various critical sectors within the nation.
“AI solutions for improved agriculture, robust healthcare, enhanced education, and climate adaptability— MoU coming soon between India AI Mission and @gatesfoundation,” Vaishnaw tweeted after a meeting with Gates, who is currently in the country.
To facilitate easier access to quality datasets for the development of AI technologies, the government has made significant progress in its India AI Mission by launching AIKosha, the nation’s sovereign datasets platform, alongside an AI Compute Portal.
The government has also set a goal to develop GPUs domestically over the next three to five years as part of the larger Rs 10,000-crore IndiaAI Mission.
The AI Compute Portal will provide companies with access to subsidized GPUs for their research and development efforts. Currently, around 14,000 GPUs are operational, with an additional 4,000 expected soon.
Previously, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) announced the procurement of 18,693 GPUs from selected suppliers.
According to Vaishnaw, ministries related to agriculture, weather forecasting, and Bhashini have already contributed data to the platform.
“India’s own AI foundational model is making good progress; we have 67 applications, with 22 dedicated to developing large language models (LLMs),” Vaishnaw mentioned earlier this month. A significant portion of India’s computing capacity will be allocated to developing sovereign AI models.
Meanwhile, Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, visited NITI Aayog’s Viksit Bharat Strategy Room (VBSR) on Monday, where he experienced an advanced AI-enabled immersive center aimed at improving evidence-based decision-making for policymakers nationwide.
The Viksit Bharat Strategy Room was inaugurated on March 7, 2024, marking a revolutionary advancement in data-driven governance.
