Development of India-Specific AI Models

The government has received expressions of interest from over 50 companies to develop an India-specific artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model, small language models (SLMs), and large language models (LLMs).

• Nearly a dozen firms have shown interest in building the foundation model and LLMs.
• Others have proposed sector-specific SLMs.
• A detailed framework outlining the requirements for these developments will be released soon.

Government Initiatives

Union Minister for Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced that India would have its own sovereign foundation model within 8-10 months, or by July with an aggressive approach.

• Meity has been collaborating with experts in LLMs and SLMs to develop a framework for India's AI foundation model for the past 18 months.
• Interested parties are required to submit a Proof of Concept (PoC) for their ideas.
• A technical evaluation committee will assess these submissions to shortlist companies for prototype development.

Funding Strategy and Support

• The ₹10,372 crore INDIAai Mission was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2024.
• A two-pronged funding strategy: 
  1. Direct Funding Model: Central government support with state-level incentives.
  2. Equity-Based Funding: Allows private investor participation.
• Additional bids for procuring and supplying GPUs have been received from Reliance Industries, Tata Communications, and others.

Incentives for AI Innovation

• The government will offer a 40% discount on GPU access for startups, researchers, academic institutions, and students.
• Additional discounts for users committing to long-term usage of six months or more.
• These incentives are available for the next four years.

Seven Pillars of INDIAai Mission

1. Build a scalable AI ecosystem with services and resources.
2. Promote AI innovation through government intervention.
3. Streamline access to high-quality non-personal datasets for AI model training.
4. Promote indigenous creation of AI applications in critical sectors.
5. Reduce barriers to AI education, ensuring access to the latest AI toolsets.
6. Support deep-tech AI startups with incentives and mentoring.
7. Ensure responsible AI development by establishing clear guidelines and guardrails.