IndiaAI and Meta have announced the establishment of the centre of excellence (CoE) for generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) at IIT Jodhpur, along with the launch of the “YuvAi Initiative for Skilling and Capacity Building” in collaboration with the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), for the advancement of open-source AI in India.
The partnership will enable development of indigenous AI applications, advance skill development in AI, boost research capabilities with the aim of contributing to India’s AI mission of ensuring tech sovereignty and the vision of building AI solutions that are tailor made for India.
This GenAI CoE aims to advance research and development in AI while fostering the growth of responsible and ethical AI technologies in India. It will support and enhance open science innovation across the AI technology landscape.
Through education, capacity building, and policy advisory, the centre will be empowering the next generation of researchers, students, and practitioners with the knowledge and tools necessary for the responsible development and deployment of GenAI technologies.
Commenting on the partnership, Abhishek Singh, additional secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said, “The Indian government is supporting the vision of AI innovation, skilling, and technological advancement to drive inclusive growth under the IndiaAI initiative. Our collaboration with industry leaders like Meta is vital to realising this vision.”
Meanwhile, Shivnath Thukral, vice president and head, public policy, Meta India, said, “By emphasising the importance of open-source AI, Meta is committed to nurturing an ecosystem where indigenous solutions can flourish. Today’s partnership is testament to our deep commitment to furthering the advancement of emerging technologies in India, while aligning seamlessly with IndiaAI mission. These initiatives will empower the next generation of innovators and equip them with the tools to address pressing real-world challenges, ultimately propelling India to be at the forefront of global AI advancements.”
Meanwhile, the “YuvAi initiative for Skilling and Capacity Building” program aims to bridge the AI talent gap in the country by empowering 100,000 students and young developers aged 18-30 to leverage open-source large language models (LLMs) to address real-world challenges. It aims to build capacity in generative AI skills, utilising open-source LLMs while fostering AI innovation across key sectors. Over the next three years, the initiative will train 1,00,000 youth, developers, and entrepreneurs, contributing significantly to India’s AI ecosystem across critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, smart cities, and financial inclusion.
This will include the establishment of a GenAI resource hub with courses, case studies, and open datasets; an LLM for young developer course designed by Meta; and master training activation workshops to introduce participants to foundational AI concepts. The program also features unleash LLM hackathons, where students will submit AI solutions to address real-world problems, with top ideas receiving mentoring, seed grants, and market support. Additionally, the AI innovation accelerator will identify and support 10 student-led startups experimenting with open-source AI models, offering incubation and visibility.
