India's AI Sovereignty: IIT Bombay's Bharat Gen Initiative
IIT Bombay is developing Bharat Gen, an AI model focused on India's linguistic and cultural landscape. Directed by Shireesh B Kedare, the initiative aims at creating a sovereign AI system under India’s AI Mission, differing from global models with its focus on data ownership and localization.
- Country:
- India
In a significant stride towards establishing AI sovereignty, IIT Bombay is spearheading the Bharat Gen project, a large language model designed for India's diverse linguistic and cultural needs. The initiative, under the leadership of Director Shireesh B Kedare, seeks to promote indigenous AI frameworks, diverging from global English-centric models.
Kedare emphasizes the importance of employing Indian languages and concepts within AI systems, underscoring IIT Bombay's commitment to enhancing India's artificial intelligence capabilities. This endeavor is part of the broader AI India Mission, supported by government bodies such as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Science and Technology.
Kedare reveals that Bharat Gen is already operational across a range of domains, addressing unique sectoral challenges such as agriculture and defense. The project highlights data ownership and localization, ensuring Indian data remains within the country, contributing to a secure and India-first AI framework.
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