India to Procure AI GPUs Within 2-3 Months Under Rs 10,000 Crore Plan

New Delhi: Union information & technology minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that the government would roll out the Rs 10,000 crore India artificial intelligence (AI) Mission in the next two to three months under which it would also help procure computing power for the domestic industry-run AI systems across the country. Besides, the minister also warned, saying that nations and societies across the world are becoming increasingly aware of new threats and risks emerging from AI and asserted that an effective solution to such challenges can come only from collective global efforts.

“We will procure over 10,000 or more graphics processing units (GPUs) under a public-private partnership so that the efficiencies of the industry can be harnessed for a bigger cause. We will also have an AI innovation centre, high quality data sets which can add more value to the efforts of startups, and an application development initiative where apps relevant to our socio-economic problems can be developed. We will have a huge focus on skill development,” Vaishnaw said at the inaugural session of the Global India AI Summit 2024 here.

“A comprehensive India AI Mission, which was cleared by Cabinet earlier this year, would be launched in the next 2-3 months. The entire team is working on setting the foundation and all seven pillars. However, India's approach in the AI Mission will be all about democratising technology. While the potential of AI for transformation and social good are evident, countries across the world also recognise the threats and risks from this new technology. AI can be a very big tool for economic and social challenges,” Vaishnaw said.

The financial infusion in this mission, which is slated over the next five years, aims to catalyse various components of the IndiaAI Mission, including areas like the IndiaAI Compute Capacity, IndiaAI Innovation Centre (IAIC), IndiaAI Datasets Platform, IndiaAI Application Development Initiative, IndiaAI FutureSkills, IndiaAI Startup Financing, and safe and trusted AI. “Simultaneously, over the last one year, there is a huge realisation too about dangers, risks and threats to our social institutions,” he added.