IndiaAI Roadmap

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• Government sets up task force for promotion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India

About

• The Ministry of Electronics and IT has recently established a task force to draft a roadmap for the artificial intelligence ecosystem.
• The task force will focus on boosting research and facilitating tools for startups and IT companies.
• Government has also asked startups and participants to volunteer for the task force and to put all the building blocks for AI in the country together for the government to take it up.

Major highlights:

• IndiaAI Platform:
  • The IndiaAI platform aims to promote Indian startups, research, and innovation.
  • The government will provide an empowering framework by not creating roadblocks for the innovative ecosystem.
  • The platform is expected to deliver better governance, development, and create an innovation ecosystem that will contribute to the digital economy.
• Projected impact of AI:
  • Estimates predict that AI will add USD 967 billion to the Indian economy by 2035 and USD 450-500 billion to India’s GDP by 2025.
  • AI is projected to account for 10% of India’s USD 5 trillion GDP target.
• Holistic approach:

• NASSCOM will work to create a roadmap based on sectors like clean tech, biotech, and space tech.
• Government will also focus on developing skilled professionals, with the goal of creating one million world-class skilled professionals by 2025.
• Promotion of authentic data sets to create solutions, while others called for enhanced computing nodes and market support for innovation.

What is Artifical Intelligence?

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that involves developing intelligent machines that can perform tasks that typically require human-like intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. 
• AI technologies are designed to learn, reason, and self-correct, making them highly useful for automating routine tasks, solving complex problems, and optimizing decision-making processes.

Challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Skilled workforce: There is a shortage of skilled professionals in the AI industry in India and the demand for skilled professionals still outstrips the supply.
• Data quality and availability: The lack of standardization and structure in data sets, particularly in sectors like healthcare and education, can limit the effectiveness of AI solutions.
• Infrastructure: The availability of computing infrastructure is essential for the development and deployment of AI solutions and India needs to invest in improving its computing infrastructure to support the growing demand for AI solutions.
• Funding: Despite the potential benefits of AI, funding for AI startups and research in India is relatively low compared to other countries for which more funding is needed to support the development and growth of the AI industry in India.
• Ethical and social implications: AI can have significant ethical and social implications, such as bias, privacy concerns, and job displacement. 

Importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for India

• Economic Growth: AI is expected to contribute significantly to India’s economic growth by creating new job opportunities, increasing productivity, and fostering innovation. 
• Healthcare: AI has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare sector by improving patient outcomes, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs through better disease diagnosis, drug development, and personalized treatment.
• Education: AI can enhance the quality of education by providing personalized learning experiences, automating administrative tasks, and improving student outcomes. 
• Agriculture: AI can improve agricultural practices by optimizing crop yields, reducing waste, and increasing profitability through accurate weather predictions, soil analysis, and crop monitoring to help farmers make informed decisions.
• Governance: AI can help in improving governance by increasing transparency, reducing corruption, and improving service delivery by better fraud detection, resource allocation, and decision-making.

Government steps to promote AI

• National AI Strategy: It is a proposed plan by the government to develop a national AI Strategy with focus on research, development, and deployment of AI-based solutions across various sectors.
• AI research institutes: The government has established AI research institutes in the country, such as the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) and the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), to promote research and development in AI.
• Start-up programs: It has integrated programs to support AI startups, such as the Startup India program, which provides funding, mentorship, and other resources to startups.
• Skill development: The government has launched several initiatives to promote skill development in the AI industry, such as the National Programme on Artificial Intelligence, which aims to train professionals in AI-related technologies.

Way ahead

• Overall, AI can play a crucial role in driving India’s growth and development in various sectors, and the draft proposal by the Indian government is a step in the right direction. 
• The roadmap for the artificial intelligence ecosystem will help promote the development and adoption of AI in India and is expected to have a significant impact on the growth of the AI industry in the country.

 Source: BS