AI IN HEALTHCARE, AGRICULTURE AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES

TAG: GS-3: ECONOMY

THE CONTEXT: The Central Government announced the setting up of three Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, agriculture and sustainable cities on Oct 14, 2024.

EXPLANATION:

Way in the news:

• • These CoEs are to be led by top academic institutions such as AIIMS, IIT Delhi, IIT Ropar, and IIT Kanpur, along with industry partners and startups.
  • The announcement of the three AI Centres of Excellence (CoEs) is a critical development in India’s push toward establishing itself as a global leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
    • Aim to strengthen India’s AI ecosystem, promoting interdisciplinary research, and creating scalable solutions in healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities.
  • The initiative involves close cooperation with the private sector, with an Apex Committee led by Shri Sridhar Vembu (CEO of Zoho) to guide and oversee the implementation.
  • A significant financial outlay of ₹990 crore has been committed over five years (FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28) to support the initiative. This is a clear signal of the government’s serious investment in AI-driven development.
  • These CoEs are part of the broader vision of “Viksit Bharat,” aligning AI advancements with national goals. AI is seen as a driver for economic growth, job creation, and global public good, with the potential to address key challenges in healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities.

Strategic Importance:

• • AI-CoEs are designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship by supporting startups and encouraging collaboration with industry. This is aligned with the government’s broader push to make India a hub for tech-driven growth.
  • AI has the potential to revolutionize various sectors, and these CoEs are expected to create a new generation of job creators and wealth generators in India.

Nurturing Talent:

• • The CoEs will focus on nurturing India’s talent pool in AI and related fields, ensuring a steady supply of skilled professionals. This will not only enhance India’s AI ecosystem but also position the country as a talent exporter in the global AI workforce.
    • Challenges: Ensuring that the CoEs achieve tangible results will require sustained collaboration between academia, industry, and government. Managing large-scale projects with interdisciplinary teams will also pose a challenge, particularly in aligning objectives and resources.
    • Opportunities: If successful, these CoEs can become templates for innovation in other emerging sectors, such as blockchain, quantum computing, and biotechnology.

Long-Term Vision:

• • The CoEs aim to serve the entire country, not just specific institutions, making this a national initiative with a long-term vision. Shri Sridhar Vembu emphasized the need to nurture the talent pool for the next 10 to 20 years, signaling the strategic long-term importance of the initiative for national development.

Source:  

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2064990