During his visit to India this week, Microsoft CEO and chairman Satya Nadella emphasized the critical role played by the Indias developer community in creating innovative products and solutions that address national issues and can be implemented globally. At the Microsoft AI Tour in Bengaluru on Thursday, Nadella during addressal to 1,100 developers and IT executives, discussing the contribution Indian developers are making to the worldwide acceleration of AI innovation.This next generation of AI is changing how and what developers build everywhere, including in India, said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft.Its fantastic to see how Indias developer community is applying our technology and tools to build the future for India and the world, Nadella said.This development has come a day after Nadella announced that Microsoft will take an initiative to train 2 million people in India with artificial intelligence (AI) skills by 2025. Called ADVANTAG(I)GE INDIA, the program intends to push Indias AI transformation and empower its workforce for jobs in the future.This aligns with their Skills for Jobs program, which focuses on future-proofing workforces.According to Microsofts recent Work Trend Index, 90 percent of Indian leaders say the people they hire will need new skills to prepare them for the growth of AI. Furthermore, 78 percent of Indian workers say they dont have the right AI capabilities to complete their current work.How the initiative will help IndiaOn this, Microsoft has come up with the move with the goal of providing basic and advance AI skills to two million Indians by 2025. This will not only provide opportunities for 5,00,000 students and job seekers in rural areas but will also offer in-depth AI technical skills training to 1,00,000 young women. In addition to this, the move will also help increasing AI fluency of 2,50,000 government officers.Microsoft will collaborate with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, 10 state governments, and various non-profit and corporate organizations. According to the sources, training will be conducted through 100 rural vocational education institutions, training centers, and higher education institutions in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Microsoft will leverage their online learning platforms and resources.Microsofts decision to train 200 million people with AI by 2025 could have a significant impact on India. This initiative could help bridge the AI skills gap in India, boosting its AI transformation and economic growth. It has the potential to create new job opportunities and empower individuals, particularly women and those in rural areas. Responsible AI principles are emphasized to ensure ethical development and use of AI.Given Indias large population and growing tech sector, this initiative could help bridge the digital skills gap, empower individuals with new job opportunities, and drive innovation in various industries. It could also contribute to Indias goal of becoming a global leader in AI technology and applications.Enabling nonprofit organizationsAccording to the official blog post by Microsoft, “Building on the Generative AI Skills Challenge, Microsoft and LinkedIn will convene India Nonprofit Leaders Summit in April 2024. The summit will enable 2,500 nonprofits and nongovernment organizations to leverage AI skilling resources and technologies to further train 7,50,000 learners – including underserved youths, young women, and jobseekers – in AI fluency and technical skills.”It further adds, “Microsoft will also provide nonprofits in India with access to the Microsoft Resources Hub and the LinkedIn for Nonprofits Resource Hub to help maximize their social impact and lead change in the AI era.”He also envisioned a transformative future for India. With Indias economy projected to hit $5 trillion, the AI-driven sector could contribute approximately 10% of it - around $500 billion.Are you exploring the opportunities in Artificial Intelligence sectorSatya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, envisions a transformative future for India!With Indias economy projected to hit $5 trillion, the AI-driven sector could contribute approximately 10% of it - around $500… pic.twitter.com/YEqmvxziKi— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) February 8, 2024Other than this, Nadella has urged the countries aggressively invest in artificial intelligence.
