The Future of AI in India: A Growing Demand
The global AI market is expected to reach a staggering $4.8 trillion by 2033, with India’s AI market forecasted to reach $28.8 billion by 2025. The demand for AI professionals is skyrocketing, with reports suggesting a need for nearly one million AI professionals by 2026. Against this backdrop, the Maharashtra Government’s Skill Development Department has certified an institute that is offering free AI training to 5.5 lakh village entrepreneurs.
Breaking Barriers with AI Literacy
Recognising the global demand for AI-powered solutions, the institute has introduced AI literacy at the grassroots level. Students learn AI tool usage, automation, data structuring, and content generation. This initiative is a beacon of hope for tribal youth, offering professional courses in Software Development, Web Development, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools.
The Goa AI Mission: A Forward-Thinking Strategy
Goa’s AI Mission aims to introduce AI education at schools and colleges, promote the establishment of AI Labs, and create a Konkani Large Language Model (LLM) to preserve Goa’s cultural and linguistic heritage digitally. The mission’s key pillars include skilling, startups and companies, capital, and government and infrastructure. Stakeholders from the private sector have welcomed the move, hailing it as one of the most forward-thinking AI strategies.
The India Skills Report 2024 and India’s AI Revolution: A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat have highlighted the need for AI professionals in India. The study, titled “Gen AI: The Daily Growth Collaborator India Desires”, surveyed over 8,000 respondents across 18 Indian cities. It found that 60 per cent of Indians are unfamiliar with AI, and only 31 per cent have tried any generative AI (Gen AI) tools.
Conclusion
The free AI training offered by the Maharashtra Government’s Skill Development Department is a significant step towards empowering village entrepreneurs in India. With the global AI market expected to grow exponentially, this initiative will help bridge the gap between supply and demand for AI professionals. As the demand for AI professionals continues to rise, it is crucial that we invest in AI education and literacy at the grassroots level. By doing so, we can unlock the full potential of AI and drive innovation in India.
Originally published on https://m.economictimes.com/tech/technology/free-ai-training-for-5-5-lakh-village-entrepreneurs-ashwini-vaishnaw/articleshow/122590015.cms
