The new mission will look to spur the capacity of AI compute power in India, which will be available for Indian startups and innovators
PM Modi also said that the AI-based cloud computing infrastructure AIRAWAT would soon be rolled out for homegrown startups, research labs and industry players
India is hosting the three-day long GPAI Summit 2023, which is being organised at New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam till December 14
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (December 12) announced the launch of a new artificial intelligence (AI) mission to promote related applications in agriculture, healthcare and education sectors.
“We are also going to launch an AI mission in India…. Under this mission, AI applications will be promoted in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, education,” said PM Modi while inaugurating the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit 2023.
He also said that the new mission will look to spur the capacity of AI compute power in India which, in turn, would be available for utilisation by Indian startups and innovators.
Touting the government’s AIRAWAT (AI Research, Analytics and Knowledge Assimilation) initiative, PM Modi also said that the AI-based cloud computing infrastructure would soon be rolled out for homegrown startups, research labs and industry players.
While batting for a more inclusive AI, PM Modi also flagged the pitfalls of the emerging technology including deepfakes, data theft and misuse by terrorists. Calling for building a concrete plan to prevent the misuse of AI, PM Modi also urged leaders across the globe to formulate a global framework for the ethical use of AI.
“… AI is becoming the bedrock of shaping our new future… Proper use of AI not only ensures the economic progress of a country but it also ensures equality and social justice… AI will have to be made all-inclusive… The more inclusive the development journey of AI is, the more inclusive its results will be,” added PM Modi.
Speaking at the event, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that emerging and disruptive technologies such as AI have raised the fundamental question of how societies should deal with them.
“India believes in harnessing the potential of AI for inclusive growth. This vision translates into AI use in sectors such as serving citizens through native language, making healthcare accessible and improving yield through precision agriculture techniques,” Vaishnaw said.
The comments came during the inaugural session of the three-day-long GPAI Summit 2023, which is being organised at New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam till December 14. India is the current incoming support chair of the GPAI.
The event brought together representatives from 28 member countries and the European Union as the attendees commenced discussions on the ‘urgent matters shaping the ever-evolving landscape of AI.’
More than 150 startups and major tech companies, from across the globe, will also showcase AI applications and products during the Global AI Expo at the ongoing summit.
While the Rashmika Madanna deepfake episode cast a broader spotlight on the misuse of generative AI, the space broadly presents a much larger opportunity for Indian startups and enterprises. As per Inc42, India is currently home to more than 70 GenAI startups.
These startups have raised more than $440 Mn between 2019 and Q3 2023 with backing from over 80 Indian institutional investors.
