Minister Vaishnaw & Sam Altman Discuss AI Growth & Collaboration

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Feb 6 (KNN) IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman convened for strategic discussions on India's comprehensive artificial intelligence initiatives, with Altman expressing strong interest in collaborating across multiple domains including GPUs, models, and applications.

During the meeting, Altman commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of technology democratisation, signaling potential alignment between OpenAI's capabilities and India's technological aspirations.

The minister highlighted India's proven track record of cost-effective innovation, drawing parallels between the economic success of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission and the potential for developing similarly efficient AI models.

This comparison underscored India's commitment to building an affordable and accessible AI ecosystem that could serve as a model for emerging economies.

Vaishnaw detailed the government's extensive AI implementation strategy across critical sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture, weather forecasting, disaster management, and transportation.

In addressing an audience of startup representatives, the minister encouraged entrepreneurial innovation within these domains, emphasising the role of private sector participation in advancing India's AI capabilities.

The government's commitment to AI development was further evidenced by the announcement of an upcoming open AI competition and the anticipated launch of India's first foundational AI model within the next ten months.

Additionally, plans were revealed for hosting an open-source AI model on Indian servers, comparable to China's 'DeepSeek' initiative, demonstrating India's determination to establish sovereign AI capabilities.

These developments are supported by substantial financial backing, with the government having previously approved an AI mission with an allocation of Rs 10,000 crore.

Vaishnaw emphasised that AI technology remains in its nascent stages, presenting significant opportunities for innovation, particularly given India's robust IT infrastructure and extensive data resources.

However, the minister acknowledged the ongoing global discourse regarding AI's impact on employment, indicating a balanced approach to technological advancement and societal considerations.

(KNN Bureau)

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