On Thursday 7th March 2024, the Union Cabinet greenlit the IndiaAI Mission towards bolstering Artificial Intelligence in India. The ambitious endeavour with an outlay of INR 10,372 Cr aims to establish a centralized computing infrastructure with major contributions anticipated from tech giants like Google, Microsoft and Nvidia.
Experts’ Expectations from IndiaAI
Industry experts and stakeholders expect a significant role for these tech giants in leading the development of AI computing infrastructure in India. This effort will require substantial strategic investment in India’s emerging technology landscape.
Public Private Partnership (PPP) Project
The India AI Mission includes various initiatives, including an AI-Computing-as-a-Service programme, the establishment of an AI Innovation Centre for building subject-specific large language models (LLMs) and the creation of an integrated data platform to create Indian Is included. Language datasets are accessible to AI applications. To realize these goals, the central government will promote public-private partnerships (PPPs), wherein private companies proposing under the mission will be screened and approved to build the requisite AI computing infrastructure.
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Union Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar focused on the collaborative nature of the initiative stating, “AI compute infra and data centres will be offered as a service and built by the private tech companies. The Funding under India AI Mission will be based on the proposals received and evaluated.”
National Supercomputing Mission
Moreover, It was revealed that the AI Infra program will eventually merge with the second phase of the National Supercomputing Mission, leveraging the expertise of Institutions like the Centre for Development of Advanced (C-DAC) and the indigenous Rudra Servers.
While the breakdown of the fund’s allocation is pending publication, experts note that India’s AI fund is comparable to global precedents. Kashyap Kompella, founder and CEO of RPA2AI Research, drew parallels with initiatives like the United States’ National AI Research Resource (NAIRR), underlining the significant starting point for India’s tech ambitions.
Views of Big Tech Officials
Co-founder and Partner at Convergence Catalyst, Jayanth Kolla hailed the government’s prioritisation of AI and emphasized the potential for big tech companies to democratise access to AI compute infra thus bridging the gaps in research funding and academia.
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However, queries directed to major players such as Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia regarding their involvement in the initiative remain unanswered at present.
With access to India’s vast datasets and a burgeoning user base, the project presents a mutually beneficial opportunity for both the government and leading tech firms. As discussions progress and plans materialize, the India AI Mission promises to be a landmark initiative driving India’s technological advancement on the global stage.
