August 16, 2020
The move, which follows the launch of ‘ATL AI Modules,’ will help bring AI to Indian classrooms and is a successor to the AI Base module launched in February 2020
The Government of India is focussed on building a self-reliant and future-ready economy with active development and application of next-generation technology
NITI Aayog states that US$957 billion can be added to the Indian economy by 2035 and annual growth can appreciate by 1.3 percentage points with the help of AI
Currently, there are more than 1,500 AI startups around India, apart from large international companies such as Microsoft that are driving their AI R&D out of India
The Atal Innovation Mission programme of NITI Aayog and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) launched the ‘ATL AI Step-up Module’ for students on the eve of India’s Independence Day to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) education and innovation in schools across the country. The move, which follows a successful launch of ‘ATL AI Modules,’ will help bring AI to Indian classrooms and is a successor to the AI Base module launched in February 2020. The AI Step-up Module provides a comprehensive set of learning-it-yourself advanced modules for those who wish to expand their knowledge after becoming familiar with the basics of the AI discipline through the AI base module.
Through hands-on projects and activities, the Step-up module encourages a deeper understanding of AI which can be applied in the real world. The module is designed in an attractive graphical manner that is comprehensible for all students belonging to rural and urban areas. The objective of this module is to challenge students and create opportunities in the coming years, making students the changemakers. This is in line with the Government of India’s focus on building a self-reliant and future-ready economy. To that end, the Government is investing in next-generation technology development and application in every aspect of life and economy. This will again increased significance in the post-COVID-19 world.
Earlier this year, India had joined the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI or Gee-Pay) as a founding member along with leading economies, including the US, the UK, the EU, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, and Singapore. The GPAI is an international and multi-stakeholder initiative to guide the development and use of AI, grounded in human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation, and economic growth. The move on India’s side comes as part of an ongoing initiative to deliver improved and inclusive socio-economic prosperity to the citizens with the utilisation of next-gen innovations such as AI, the internet of things (IoT), automation, etc.
NITI Aayog states that US$957 billion can be added to the economy by 2035 and annual growth can appreciate by 1.3 percentage points with AI. India had recently launched the National AI Strategy and National AI Portal to leverage AI across education, agriculture, healthcare, e-commerce, finance, telecommunications, etc. Currently, there are over 1,500 AI startups in India, apart from large global companies such as Microsoft that are driving their AI R&D out of India. Additionally, a lot of AI research is presently being done in India by premier academic institutions such as the IITs in partnership with global firms. Many of the solutions from these researches have already been heavily implemented.
The AI Step-Up module would be available for all students across the country and could be accessed at https://aim.gov.in/Lets_learn_AI_StepUp_Module.pdf