New Delhi: Software giant Microsoft on Wednesday announced partnerships with the Indian government to establish an artificial intelligence or AI centre of excellence, involving many organisations in core sectors such as transport, healthcare, finance, agriculture and education. The company also said that it would train more than 5,00,000 Indians, including students, educators, developers, government officials, and women entrepreneurs, on using AI tools by next year. This announcement comes a day after Microsoft announced plans to invest $3 billion in India and establish data centres over the next two years.
As per an IDC study, commissioned by Microsoft, the rate of AI adoption in India has grown by 12 per cent to 72 per cent in 2024. “The most exciting part about even coming to India is the diffusion rate and adoption rates which are much faster. There’s not much of a distinction. I can be in Seattle or Palo Alto or I can be in Delhi or Bangalore, it’s not that different in terms of how people are talking about and applying it (AI),” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said during his presentation in the national capital here.
The software leader also inked an memorandum of understanding (MoU) as part of the India AI initiative led by the Union ministry of electronics and information technology. Besides, Nadella also offered an overview of Microsoft’s three central AI platforms -- Copilot, Copilot & AI stack, and Copilot Devices and what they entail for Indian businesses as well. As part of the arrangement, the company also said that it would will set up AI productivity labs in 20 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs)/NIELIT centers across 10 states to offer AI learning courses.
Meanwhile, the ministry of telecommunications also said in a statement that AI Touch LLP has been awarded funding under the TTDF scheme of department of telecommunications (DoT) of USOF (now “Digital Bharat Nidhi”) and AI Touch will develop components for disaggregated 5G RAN (Radio Access Network) including RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), and Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) modules.
The project is expected to deliver solutions that reduce operational complexities, improve cost efficiency for mobile network operators (MNOs), and support new applications in the telecom sector. "It aims to contribute to the development of an indigenous 5G ecosystem and lay the groundwork for future advancements. The project will facilitate intelligent and automated control of RAN and core nodes through AI/ML-based applications and closed-loop automation. It will demonstrate a sample application for managing user experience during congestion scenarios and provide interfaces for onboarding third-party applications. Besides, its platform will integrate non-real-time RIC, near-real-time RIC, SMO, and NWDAF to enhance network automation and performance," the ministry said.
Speaking at the contract signing ceremony, Dr Rajkumar Upadhyay, CEO, C-DOT, stated that C-DOT, as the implementation partner, would ensure that the project adheres to the highest standards of technological development. "By facilitating collaboration between industry leaders like AI Touch, we are enabling the creation of indigenous solutions that will strengthen India’s telecom ecosystem," he said.
"Through the TTDF scheme, we are fostering innovation in India’s telecom sector. This project by AI Touch will not only drive AI-driven advancements but also lay the foundation for a self-reliant 5G ecosystem," Dr Parag Agarwal, DDG of TTDF, stated.
Amit Gupta, Partner at AI Touch, also said that at AI Touch, our focus is on leveraging AI and ML to create advanced analytics and intelligent models. "In this project, we are leading the development of predictive capabilities and automation frameworks within RIC and NWDAF, ensuring the platform is equipped to handle complex network challenges with accuracy,” he added.
