Today, International Business Machines (IBM) entered into three Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs) with three entities related to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). From what it’s understood, the development aims to bolster India’s artificial intelligence (AI) based national strategy, grow efforts for self-reliance in semiconductors and to develop its National Quantum Mission.
According to an official Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, the partnership between IBM and India AI – Digital India Corporation aims to create a world-class national AI Innovation Platform (AIIP) for India to put emphasis on AI skilling, ecosystem development, and integrating advanced foundation models and generative AI capabilities to support India’s scientific, commercial, and human-capital development in this technology. “AIIP will serve as an accelerator for incubation and competency development in AI technologies and their applications for use cases of national importance. AIIP would have access to relevant capabilities of IBM’s watsonx platform including the ability to use models in language, code and geospatial science with the intent to train models for other domains as needed,” the release added.
“Semiconductors, AI, and Quantum, these three technologies will transform the future in the coming years. They represent tremendous opportunities for our academic institutions, startups, and innovation ecosystem. The broader opportunity lies in creating a global standard talent pool in India, capable of taking advantage of the opportunities in quantum computing, AI, and semiconductors. Congratulations to IBM, and thank you for your partnership with the Ministry. I am glad that in such a short time that the Ministry, IBM and the Government of India have come together and have entered into these MoUs that are certainly part of PM Modi’s vision,” Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, stated on the development.
Furthermore, the release mentioned that IBM would serve as the knowledge partner of India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) for a semiconductor research center. It’s believed that IBM can share its experience with ISM on intellectual property, tools, initiatives, and skills development, aimed at promoting innovation in semiconductor technologies such as logic, advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration, and advanced chip design technologies, using modernized infrastructure. “IBM and Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) will also explore opportunities for working together to support the advancement of India’s National Quantum Mission by building competency in quantum computing technology, applications in areas of national interest, and a skilled quantum workforce. Activities would broadly focus on: workforce enablement; development of industries and startups; R&D; and quantum services and infrastructure,” the release highlighted.
“This collaboration reinforces our commitment to be the trusted partner for India in Enhancing its innovation capabilities. Supporting the government’s efforts in building Infrastructure, enhancing human capital and knowledge creation in these three areas of Technology will be integral to India’s digital transformation and economic growth,” Sandip Patel, managing director, IBM India & South Asia, concluded.
