Latest news with #AIKosh


Hans India
10 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
IndiaAI Mission: 34,381 GPUs onboarded from 14 empanelled service providers
New Delhi: India's AI strategy aims to position the country as a global leader in artificial intelligence and as on date, 34,381 GPUs have been onboarded from 14 empanelled service providers, the government informed. The government provides these GPUs at a subsidised cost. The average rate for these GPUs is about Rs 65 per GPU per hour. The price of H100 GPUs, widely used for foundational model training, is Rs 92 per GPU per hour which is significantly lower than the commercial hyper-scaler cloud providers, informed Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. India has a strong information technology ecosystem. It generates annual revenues of more than $250 billion and provides employment to more than 6 million people. Global rankings such as Stanford AI rankings place India among the top countries in AI skills, capabilities, and policies to use AI. India is also the second-largest contributor to GitHub AI projects, showcasing its vibrant developer community. The government launched IndiaAI mission in March 2024. It is a strategic initiative to establish a robust and inclusive AI ecosystem aligned with India's development goals. The 'IndiaAI Application Development Initiative' aims to develop AI applications for India specific challenges in sectors such as climate change and disaster management, healthcare, agriculture, governance, and assistive technologies for learning disabilities. As on date, 30 (thirty) applications have approved, said the minister. In addition, sector-specific hackathons have been organised in partnership with other ministries and government institutions. 'AIKosh' is a unified data platform integrating datasets from government and non-government sources. The beta version launched in March 2025 currently features over 890 datasets, 208 AI models, and more than 13 development toolkits. 'These resources serve as building blocks for developers, allowing them to focus on core AI functionality instead of recreating modules,' said the minister. The 'IndiaAI Foundation Models' initiative aims to develop India's own Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) trained on Indian datasets and languages. This is to to ensure sovereign capability and global competitiveness in generative AI. The IndiaAI Mission received more than 500 proposals. In the first phase, 4 start-ups have been selected. They include Sarvam AI, Soket AI, Gnani AI and Gan AI. The 'IndiaAI FutureSkills' aims to develop AI skilled professionals in India by increasing the number of graduates, post-graduate and PhDs in AI domain. Over 200 students have received fellowships in the first year, with 26 partner institutes onboarding PhD students. It also envisions setting up Data and AI Labs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across India.


Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
India set to manufacture first commercial-scale semiconductor chip; IIT students design 20 chipsets
This is an AI-generated image, used for representational purposes only. India is inching closer to a major milestone in its semiconductor journey, with the country expected to produce its first commercial-scale, made-in-India semiconductor chip this year. Union electronics and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw made the announcement on Saturday while addressing the 14th convocation ceremony of IIT-Hyderabad. According to Vaishnaw, students from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have designed 20 chipsets so far. Of these, eight have already been 'taped out', a term used for the final design stage before fabrication and sent to global foundries and the government-run Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali for production. The SCL, established in 1976, remains operational, though it currently functions on legacy technology nodes. The minister said that India is expected to produce its first commercial-scale, made-in-India semiconductor chip this year, underlining the government's push to build a full-stack semiconductor ecosystem, from design and fabrication to equipment and materials. 'The way we are going into the building of capital equipment and materials needed to build semiconductors, India will become one of the top-5 semiconductor nations in the coming years', he added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo As per ET, the students were supported by the government's India Semiconductor Mission, which has provided the latest electronic design automation (EDA) tools to 270 colleges and 70 startups across the country. At IIT-Hyderabad alone, more than 700 students have used these tools for over 300,000 hours in the past six months. Currently, India has six semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) either approved or under development. These new-generation fabs are expected to significantly boost the country's capability, while the existing SCL in Mohali continues to play a vital role in legacy tech development. The minister also highlighted progress in the artificial intelligence domain. He said that AIKosh, the government's open-source AI platform, now has 880 datasets and over 200 AI models. These resources are accessible to students, researchers, and startups to aid innovation. Vaishnaw pointed out that India's growth in electronics manufacturing has translated into strong economic results. 'India's electronics exports have crossed $40 billion,' he said, noting this marks an eight-fold rise in 11 years. He further said, 'In just 11 years, we have increased our electronics production six times. That's a CAGR in double digits, which any corporate would be envious of.' Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now


Economic Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Eight chipsets designed by IIT students sent to fabs: IT Minister Vaishnaw
TIL Creatives Students at Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have designed 20 chipsets and eight of them have already been 'taped out' and sent to global foundries and the Semi-Conductor Laboratory in Mohali for fabrication, electronics and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on at the 14th convocation ceremony of IIT-Hyderabad, Vaishnaw also reiterated that the first commercial-scale, made in India semiconductor chip will be built this year. IIT students designed the chipsets using tools provided under the government's India Semiconductor Mission. A chip is a single piece of semiconductor material, typically silicon, onto which an electronic circuit is etched while a chipset is a group of interconnected chips designed to work together to manage and direct the flow of data between the processor, memory, storage, and other peripherals in a computing device. Taping out means completion of the design process before sending to a manufacturing facility or foundry for fabrication. As of July 2025, India has six semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) approved or under development. Founded in 1976, the government-owned Semi-Conductor Laboratory remains operational but only at legacy technology nodes. "The way we are going into the building of capital equipment and materials needed to build semiconductors, India will become one of the top-5 semiconductor nations in the coming years," Vaishnaw credited the spurt in semiconductor research to the government providing the latest electronic design automation tools (EDA) to 270 colleges and 70 startups. As many as 700 students at IIT-Hyderabad used these tools for a cumulative 300,000 hours over the past six months, the minister said the Centre's open-source artificial intelligence resources platform, AIKosh, now has 880 data sets and 200-plus models electronics exports have topped $40 billion, marking an eight-fold increase over the last 11 years. "In just 11 years, we have increased our electronics production six times. That's a CAGR double digit, which any corporate would be envious of,' he said. Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. What's keeping real retail investors out of the Nvidia rally If data is the new oil, are data centres the smokestacks of the digital age? The hybrid vs. EV rivalry: Why Maruti and Mahindra pull in different directions. What's best? Instagram and YouTube make billions off creators. Should they pay up for their mental health? Trent trips on the ramp. Is it still worth the splurge or time to change brands? Best way to deal with volatility, just ' Hold' for wealth creation: 7 large-cap stocks with an upside potential of up to 41% Stock picks of the week: 5 stocks with consistent score improvement with an upside potential of 16 to 38% in 1 year Headwinds, yes, but long-term story intact. 7 stocks from the engineering sector with upside potential from 21 to 42%


Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Eight chipsets designed by IIT students sent to fabs: IT Minister Vaishnaw
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Students at Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have designed 20 chipsets and eight of them have already been 'taped out' and sent to global foundries and the Semi-Conductor Laboratory in Mohali for fabrication, electronics and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on at the 14th convocation ceremony of IIT-Hyderabad, Vaishnaw also reiterated that the first commercial-scale, made in India semiconductor chip will be built this year. IIT students designed the chipsets using tools provided under the government's India Semiconductor Mission A chip is a single piece of semiconductor material, typically silicon, onto which an electronic circuit is etched while a chipset is a group of interconnected chips designed to work together to manage and direct the flow of data between the processor, memory, storage, and other peripherals in a computing device. Taping out means completion of the design process before sending to a manufacturing facility or foundry for of July 2025, India has six semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) approved or under development. Founded in 1976, the government-owned Semi-Conductor Laboratory remains operational but only at legacy technology nodes."The way we are going into the building of capital equipment and materials needed to build semiconductors, India will become one of the top-5 semiconductor nations in the coming years," Vaishnaw credited the spurt in semiconductor research to the government providing the latest electronic design automation tools (EDA) to 270 colleges and 70 startups. As many as 700 students at IIT-Hyderabad used these tools for a cumulative 300,000 hours over the past six months, the minister said the Centre's open-source artificial intelligence resources platform, AIKosh, now has 880 data sets and 200-plus models electronics exports have topped $40 billion, marking an eight-fold increase over the last 11 years. "In just 11 years, we have increased our electronics production six times. That's a CAGR double digit, which any corporate would be envious of,' he said.


Hindustan Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Why AI literacy is key to India's future
India is at a pivotal moment in its technological journey. Since 2022, generative AI has progressed rapidly, accelerating innovation and unlocking new potential to tackle complex challenges. This wave of technological advancement aligns closely with India's development priorities, opening up opportunities for transformative impact across key sectors. Early use cases are already emerging, from personalised learning solutions in education, to predictive analytics for improved crop management in agriculture, and enhanced diagnostics and access in health care. AI (Getty Images/iStockphoto) As AI solutions become integral to daily digital interactions, the question is no longer just about access to AI tools; it is about the capacity of citizens to engage with them effectively and as responsible users. To truly harness this opportunity, investing in AI literacy is a national imperative, paving the way to empower every citizen to navigate an AI-driven world and actively shape the future. Recognising AI's transformative potential, the Government of India has launched strategic nationwide initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission, which champions an 'AI for All' vision to democratise the benefits of AI while proactively addressing its risks. The Mission is focused on establishing a comprehensive ecosystem to catalyse AI innovation through strategic partnerships across the public and private sectors. India's AI compute capacity has seen a dramatic leap through deliberate investment, now standing at 34,333 GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) following the empanelment of multiple providers. This scale positions the country to support world-class AI research and innovation, develop sovereign models and support impactful AI solutions that address real-world challenges. To foster indigenous AI model development, institutions have been selected to build and deploy foundational AI models. Data quality and availability are also being enhanced through initiatives such as the AIKosh platform, which currently hosts over 600 curated Bharat datasets. Moreover, India's talent pool is already making a global impact. According to the Stanford AI Index Report 2025, India ranked second worldwide in AI skill penetration from 2016 to 2024 with a 252% increase, and has led the world in year-over-year AI talent hiring rates. Alongside this, the Mission is focused on nurturing a robust talent pipeline. Notably, AI skills are being strengthened among the youth in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities through the launch of the IndiaAI Data Labs, which will provide foundational courses in data and AI. Sustaining this momentum requires building a broader foundation. To ensure that every citizen, not only researchers and developers, can participate meaningfully in an AI-driven future, foundational AI literacy for all has become a strategic national priority. This is especially critical for young learners, our future citizens, who are growing up in a world where AI is already shaping their everyday experiences. Today's children are already immersed in an environment deeply shaped by AI. More than 80% of rural Indian children aged 14–16 regularly use smartphones, interacting with recommendation engines, autocomplete tools, and chatbots often without realising how these algorithms shape their choices, opinions or behaviour. This silent immersion offers both promise and peril. AI-driven platforms can deliver personalised learning and adaptive feedback that may have been otherwise inaccessible to learners. At the same time, without the tools to critically engage with AI, learners, especially those from lower-income segments, are more vulnerable to misinformation, privacy risks, and algorithmic bias. The influence of AI on agency, equity and empowerment will depend on how well individuals are prepared to understand and navigate this technology. Without foundational literacy, young people risk remaining passive consumers rather than active contributors to an inclusive and innovative digital future. As India accelerates its leadership in AI, building foundational AI literacy at scale is essential. AI literacy refers to the knowledge and practices that help students, teachers and parents understand what AI is, how it shapes their digital lives and how to use it safely and thoughtfully. AI Samarth is India's first large-scale AI literacy programme designed for underserved communities from Bharat. The initiative aims to empower 50 lakh students, parents and educators across government and affordable private schools with essential knowledge and practices for meaningful and responsible AI engagement. To mainstream AI literacy, AI Samarth focuses on three core strategies: Curriculum integration: Developed in partnership with CSF and IIT Madras, the AI Samarth AI Literacy Curriculum is tailored for Bharat's classrooms and available as a public good for states and designed for flexible integration within existing school routines and subject areas Contextual content: Designed as a multilingual repository of contextually relevant learning materials to make AI literacy accessible, engaging, and comprehensible for students, teachers, and parents across India. The content stack will include curriculum-aligned videos, in-class teaching materials, lesson plans, and assessments tailored to the diverse learning environments in India. Scalable delivery: Disseminated through online platforms and cascaded teacher training to reach learners across geographies pan-India. Together, these strategies aim to embed AI literacy into the fabric of school education, nurturing a generation that approaches technology with curiosity, confidence and safety. This early foundation in AI literacy is critical for enabling the next step: equipping learners with practical skills to thrive in an AI-driven world. Building on this groundwork, the government is advancing skilling in AI through targeted initiatives under the 'FutureSkills' pillar of the IndiaAI Mission. Designed for scale and inclusivity, the initiative is ensuring that high-quality, hands-on AI and data skills reach learners across the country with focus on Tier 2 and Tier 3 locations. As India advances its AI capabilities through the IndiaAI Mission, which encompasses infrastructure investments, skilling programmes, improved access to high-quality datasets, and the development of AI solutions across critical sectors, the next frontier is ensuring that every citizen is empowered to engage meaningfully and responsibly with AI. This means recognising that AI literacy and skilling are not separate paths but part of a continuum: literacy enables awareness, informed use, and critical thinking; skilling builds deeper expertise for professional application. Investing in the continuum of literacy and skilling today will lay the foundation for an India that is not only AI-ready but truly AI-empowered. This article is authored by Abhishek Singh, CEO, IndiaAI Mission and additional secretary, ministry of electronics and IT, Government of India and Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja, CEO & MD, Central Square Foundation.