India and Meta Collaborate on AI Initiatives to Enhance Job Creation and Skill Development

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently engaged with Yann LeCun, Meta’s Chief AI Scientist, to explore potential collaborations in artificial intelligence aimed at job creation and skill development in India. Vaishnaw shared insights on social media, noting that India’s AI Mission is fostering strong partnerships among industry, academia, and government. He mentioned key initiatives such as the GenAI Center of Excellence at IIT Jodhpur and the YuvAI Skilling program, both in collaboration with Meta.

On October 25, IndiaAI and Meta unveiled a partnership to establish the Center for Generative AI, named “Srijan,” at IIT Jodhpur. Alongside this, they launched the YuvAI Initiative for Skilling and Capacity Building in partnership with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). This collaboration aims to enhance India’s AI capabilities by fostering indigenous applications, advancing skill development, and supporting research to contribute to the nation’s vision of tech sovereignty.

Objectives of the Collaboration

1. GenAI Center of Excellence (GenAI CoE):
   • Located at IIT Jodhpur, the GenAI CoE is focused on promoting responsible and ethical AI innovation in India.
   • The center aims to cultivate a robust AI research ecosystem, empowering researchers, students, and practitioners with educational resources, policy advisories, and capacity-building initiatives.
2. YuvAI Initiative:
   • This program aims to bridge the talent gap in AI by training 100,000 students and young developers (aged 18-30) in open-source large language models (LLMs) over the next three years.
   • It will target critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, smart cities, and financial inclusion.

Key Components of the YuvAI Program

• Gen AI Resource Hub: Access to courses, case studies, and datasets.
• LLM for Young Developers Course: A specialized course provided by Meta.
• Foundational Workshops: Introduce participants to essential AI concepts.
• “Unleash LLM Hackathons”: Students will propose AI solutions for real-world challenges, with promising ideas receiving mentorship, seed funding, and market exposure.
• AI Innovation Accelerator: Support for 10 student-led startups exploring open-source AI models, providing resources for incubation and growth.

Through these initiatives, IndiaAI and Meta aim to strengthen India’s AI ecosystem, build a skilled workforce, and contribute to the nation’s long-term AI mission and technological advancement.