- Microsoft pledged to provide AI skills training to 2 million Indians by 2023.
- CEO Satya Nadella aims to accelerate enterprise AI adoption and address talent gaps.
- Central to Microsoft’s plan is democratizing access beyond major cities through inclusive programs.
Microsoft’s ambitious AI training plan in India
Microsoft is going all in on expanding access to artificial intelligence skills in India.
At an event in Mumbai on Wednesday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced an ambitious plan to provide AI training to 2 million people across smaller Indian cities and towns over the next year.
The skilling initiative aligns with Microsoft’s broader aim to accelerate AI adoption by Indian enterprises.
Democratizing AI education
“This new capability, AI, is going to have an impact on GDP,” Nadella said in his keynote, urging business leaders not to fall behind on exploring AI tools that can drive productivity and innovation.
India is already home to one of the largest bases of AI developers on GitHub, per Nadella.
Central to Microsoft’s India game plan is democratizing access to AI education beyond major urban hubs.
The company highlighted efforts like Karya, an “ethical data company” that sources diverse Indian language datasets to train AI models while providing rural populations with tech jobs and upskilling.
Inclusive approach
“For the first time I feel what is happening in India and the rest of the world there is no gap,” said Nadella regarding the country’s unique AI use cases.
Even as it ramps up AI adoption in India, Microsoft remains confident it holds the lead globally with systems like GPT-4.
“We have the best model today,” claimed Nadella, adding the competition has yet to “arrive.”
With India’s strengthening AI talent pool and Microsoft’s global resources, the company aims to drive inclusive growth through universal access to the latest AI tools and skills training.
