India’s $1.25B Boost for AI Growth

India’s Union Cabinet has approved the “IndiaAI Mission” with a budget of 10,300 crore rupees ($1.24 billion). The mission aims to support AI startups and innovations over the next five years. It plans to provide widespread access to computing power, which is crucial for AI development and deployment, to innovators, startups, students, and educational institutions across the country. Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced this on March 7, stating that the mission would be implemented through a public-private partnership model. The objective is to nurture India’s AI innovation ecosystem.

The IndiaAI Mission consists of seven components, including building and democratizing compute capacity and indigenous Large Multimodal Models (LMMs), streamlining access to non-personal data sets, and developing AI applications. The mission will use an AI computing infrastructure with 10,000 or more Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to support AI startups through public-private partnerships. It also focuses on introducing AI educational courses, financing deep-tech AI startups, and establishing safety nets around AI advancements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his support for the mission, stating that it would empower AI startups and expand access to compute infrastructure. He believes that this development is a significant step towards making India a global leader in AI innovation. The Indian government sees AI advancements as a means to boost the country’s economy and create high-skilled employment opportunities.

On March 1, the Indian government issued a warning to all tech companies, stating that they need prior approval before releasing newly developed AI tools. The government wants to ensure that these tools are made available to users on the Indian internet with explicit permission. The advisory also called for platforms to ensure that their tools do not pose a threat to the integrity of the upcoming general elections.

India’s Union Cabinet has approved the IndiaAI Mission to support AI startups and innovations. The mission aims to provide easy access to computing power, develop AI applications, and promote AI education in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that this initiative will strengthen India’s position as a global leader in AI innovation. The government is also taking steps to regulate the release of AI tools and ensure their responsible use, especially in the context of the upcoming general elections.