Microsoft and IndiaAI will make five lakh Indians skilled in AI by 2026, 20 NSTIs will be opened

Government company IndiaAI has partnered with Microsoft to train five lakh Indians in Artificial Intelligence (AI) by the year 2026. Under this, students, teachers, software developers, government officials, and women entrepreneurs will be trained in AI.

Microsoft's India and South Asia President Puneet Chandok said on Wednesday, that the three billion dollar investment announced by the company's chairman and CEO Satya Nadella will be used on technology, infrastructure, building AI capacity, and creation of human capital in India. Chandok said we had announced to train 20 lakh people last year. We have already trained 24 lakh people. Training one crore people in the next five years has been announced. We have signed an agreement with the IndiaAI Mission, under which five lakh people will be trained in AI. The government also approved Rs 10,372 crore in March 2024 for the development of AI mechanisms in the country within five years.

Under the partnership, AI productivity laboratories will be set up in 20 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and NIELIT centers to train 20,000 teachers in 10 states. Also, one lakh students will be empowered with basic AI courses in 200 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).

Chandok said that Microsoft will also promote the government's India AI Mission. Under the partnership with India AI, a center of excellence, 'AI Catalysts,' will be set up to promote rural AI innovation and enable one lakh innovators and developers in the country's tier-2 and tier-3 cities.