IndiaAI Mission receives 187 proposals for sovereign AI foundation models
What's the story
The IndiaAI Mission has witnessed a massive spike in interest, having received as many as 120 applications in its second round.
This is double the number of proposals it got in the first round and takes the total to a whopping 187.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) aims to approve a few applications by the end of this financial year, a senior government official told the Economic Times.
International participation
Global interest in India's sovereign AI models surges
Interestingly, the IndiaAI Mission has drawn proposals from not just Indian firms and individuals, but also international players.
Companies are looking to set up a base in India to build foundational models with the government's support.
Start-ups with teams in Singapore, US, and other countries have also applied.
Even students studying at premier institutions like Stanford University have expressed interest by applying for the project.
Project funding
IT Minister's goal for foundational models
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that he wants to have three foundational models ready by the end of this year. The entire IndiaAI project has been allocated ₹1,500 crore.
In a recent Lok Sabha written response, IT MoS Jatin Prasada said, "In the first month, IndiaAI Mission had received a total of 67 proposals till February 15 with contributions from both established start-ups and new teams of researchers and academia."
Other developments
IndiaAI Mission to use Parliamentary data for indigenous model
IndiaAI Mission has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Parliament to utilize its extensive multilingual data for training indigenous AI models.
Additionally, the IndiaAI Mission is set to sign an MoU with the Gates Foundation to develop AI-driven solutions aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity, strengthening healthcare, improving education, and boosting climate resilience, Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday.