Microsoft Chief Executive Officer, Satya Nadella announced on Wednesday (Feb 7) that he will provide two million people with artificial intelligence (AI) skills by 2025 in India.
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Nadella said that India and the United States need to cooperate on framing regulations on AI and emphasised that the new-age technology can “equally distribute” growth.
He stated that the company will train two million Indians in AI by 2025. He further said that a “consensus” on AI is also needed at the global level.
The programme will focus on training individuals in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, as well as rural areas, in order to enable people to participate in the “new era of AI and unlock inclusive socio-economic progress”.
Calling AI a powerful general-purpose technology, the global tech giant’s chairman and CEO said that faster “diffusion” of the technology can help us achieve “equal distribution of economic growth”.
On being asked about the cooperation between the US and India on AI, Nadella, who is on a two-day visit to India, said greater cooperation is required between both nations.
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“I think it’s imperative especially for India and the United States to be able to cooperate, what are the norms, what are the regulations even, instead of fracturing them,” Nadella said.
An official document revealed that the ADVANTA(I)GE INDIA initiative is part of Microsoft’s Skills for Jobs programme, which is designed to empower India’s workforce with future-ready skills. The initiative is part of Microsoft’s broader commitment to accelerate India’s AI transformation, it added.
The company noted that the skilling initiative is “aligned with the company’s responsible AI principles, and training will be delivered in partnership with governments, nonprofit and corporate organizations, and communities”.
As quoted in the document, Trishaljit Sethi, Director General (Training), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said, “In the years ahead, AI innovation will play a pivotal role in shaping our future, and we at the Directorate General of Training, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, stay dedicated to realizing the potential of the AI era for India, in partnership with Microsoft and others.”
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“Our commitment extends to advancing India’s digital future by empowering a substantial workforce across the length and breadth of the country, ensuring that key sectors in India become AI-first and AI-ready,” Sethi added.
