Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to become a transformative force in India, contributing over $500 billion and creating nearly 20 million jobs by 2025. As the landscape of employment evolves with AI, the Indian government has taken proactive steps to ensure that the workforce is adequately skilled and educated to harness the potential of this technology.
Need for training and skill development in AI
While AI might disrupt traditional job roles, it simultaneously opens doors to new opportunities. Recognizing this, the government emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, reskilling, and embracing AI as a tool for augmentation and efficiency. A future-proof workforce is essential to sustain employment opportunities and cultivate a skilled talent pool that aligns with the evolving nature of work.
India’s “AI for All” Strategy
India’s “AI for All” strategy aims to position the country as the global hub for AI innovation. Despite this vision, a significant challenge lies in the disproportionate availability of skilling and education opportunities compared to the urgent need. The government is addressing this by investing heavily in initiatives to onboard more individuals into the AI ecosystem.
Team NSN recently had a conversation with Dr. B. Shadrach, Director of the Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA) to understand more about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education and skill development. During our conversation, he highlighted the initiatives from the government saying, “In the Indian context, the first disruptor is the Bharat GPT, which is to function in multiple languages. While major languages like Spanish, French, English, and Arabic have seen advancements, there is now a vision for 22 major Indian languages to benefit from tools like Bashini, Anuvadini translation tools which previously was called text to speech or voice to text tool.” To read the excerpts from the conversation, please visit – https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/artificial-intelligence-ai-in-education-and-skill-development/
Government Initiatives Driving AI skill development and education
The Government of India has heavily invested in initiatives to promote AI literacy and skills across diverse segments of the population. No need to mention him – we can just provide info about these initiatives the INDIAai FutureSkills initiative, stating that it has made strides in developing an AI-centric education framework from 8th standard to tertiary levels. This initiative focuses on equipping the future workforce with AI knowledge, recognizing the symbiotic relationship between human and AI intelligence.
From the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence to the recently launched policy document, the government is committed to ensuring India’s readiness for AI. Here are key initiatives crucial for individuals looking to be AI-ready in 2024 and beyond.
Key Government Initiatives:
National Strategy For Artificial Intelligence #AIforALL
The NITI Aayog-developed strategy document envisions India as a leader in AI with a unique brand of #AIforAll. It aims to address challenges related to access, affordability, shortage, and inconsistency of skilled expertise. The focus is on scalable solutions for emerging economies and addressing global challenges through responsible AI. Read more
India AI
The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY) launched the umbrella program “India AI” to converge national-level initiatives and catalyze the AI innovation ecosystem. The National Program on Artificial Intelligence (NPAI) is a part of this initiative, with a specific focus on skill development for AI in India. Visit India AI
AI For All Program
The “AI For All” program is a self-learning online initiative designed to raise public awareness about AI. Divided into two sections – AI Aware and AI Appreciate – the program is accessible in 11 Indian languages. Completion of the program earns users badges that signify their AI awareness and appreciation. Explore AI For All
YUVAI
The National e-Governance Division, in collaboration with Intel India, launched ‘Youth for Unnati & Vikas with AI’ (YUVAI). This national program targets school students, aiming to empower them with AI skills, democratizing access to relevant toolsets for meaningful social impact solutions. Learn more about YUVAI
Fostering collaboration among all stakeholders is imperative to realize India’s vision of becoming a leader in AI and achieving the overarching goal of AI for All. As the integration of AI becomes more pervasive in various professional domains, it is increasingly crucial for individuals, irrespective of their roles, to acquire fundamental knowledge of AI. Recognizing this need for continuous learning, we, at NSN, have proactively incorporated AI skilling as a key component of our upskilling initiatives in 2024.
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