Three new AI, data laboratories coming up in Meghalaya: Ashwini Vaishnaw
The AI and data laboratories will be set up as a part of India's mission to set up 570 such centers and expand access to emerging technologies
A file image of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishanw. (Photo:X)
Shillong, Dec 4: Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced establishment of three data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) laboratories in Meghalaya as part of India’s effort to make technology accessible to every citizen of the country.
Vaishnaw virtually declared the establishment of these new centres in Meghalaya during the Regional Artificial Intelligence Summit held here today.
The centres will be established at the ITI Park Shillong, Shillong Polytechnic, and ITI, Tura. The State already has one such facility in operation at the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), Shillong.
“Our focus is to make sure that every part of the country gets access to this new technology. Many people today say that the way electricity is an essential part of our modern day living, in the same way, AI will become an essential part of our modern day living,” Vaishnaw said.
Highlighting the importance of AI, he said the technology should reach every person so that they can make use of its productivity and problems. The minister added that the Centre’s mission is to build 570 data and AI laboratories across India.
Out of this target, 30 such centres have already been built in tier-2 and tier-3 cities to train youth.
According to the minister, the country is in the process of building sovereign large language models or LLMs so that its reliance on foreign entities like Google, Meta OpenAI, etc, is reduced.
During this process, over 3,800 datasets will be created. More than 38,000 Graphic Processing Units will be used to train AI models with the available data sets.
“Our Prime Minister has given us the vision of democratising technology. The focus will be on people, the planet, and progress... The AI mission will be funded with Rs 10,300 crore over the next five years,” the minister added.