Universal tech giant Google has revealed a series of vital initiatives focused at advancing the development of AI in India with plans to empower 10,000 startups in artificial intelligence via the strategic partnership with MeitY startup hub. This significant effort of Google signifies its wider strategy to enhance AI and back the striving startup ecosystem of India. 

At the event of Google I/O Conect Bengaluru 2024, the tech major underscored its dedication to nurture AI innovation in India by concentrating on three key areas including multimodal, multilingual and mobile AI. Google privileges that the models of Gemini AI are at the core of this initiative. Now, these models are available to more than 1.5 million developers worldwide with a considerable number of India-based users. 

In partnership with the MeitY Startup Hub, Google will train 10,000 startups to leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence. This comprises providing up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits to eligible startups, permitting them to put sources in the essential cloud infrastructure and digital power. In addition, Google is providing AI-first programming and set of courses through programs like Appscale Academy and Startup School that intends to power-up the startups with skills and expertise required to prosper in the landscape of AI. 

On this significant move, Ambharish Kenghe, Vice President, Google says, “At Google, we’ve been investing in AI for over a decade, driving fundamental advancements that have led us to the exciting Gemini era. AI is a powerful enabler and a major inflection point that will require us to continuously reimagine what’s possible. We’re committed to empowering Indian innovators to harness AI’s full potential, creating solutions that not only address India’s unique needs but also shape the future of AI globally. The opportunities with multimodal, mobile, and multilingual AI are immense, and we’re thrilled to be a part of India’s AI journey.”

Seshu Ajjarapu, Senior Director, Google DeepMind states, “India is at the forefront of the AI revolution, as you can see from the innovation that Indian companies are pioneering. From consumer experiences, to agriculture, to social enterprises, AI has the power to address some of the biggest challenges of our time across many sectors and industries. At Google, we remain committed to helping the developers and entrepreneurs advance and deploy technology that makes a palpable difference in people’s lives.”

Jeanine Banks, Vice President and General Manager, Developer X, Google notes, “AI is transforming the very fundamentals of software development – including how developers think about what’s possible and how they build it. At Google, we believe all developers are AI developers, and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to build with AI across surfaces, be it web, mobile, or cloud. We’ve been thrilled and inspired by the enthusiastic embrace of our AI capabilities by India’s growing developer ecosystem, and we can’t wait to see the innovations they will pioneer with Google’s expanding AI models, tools, and app development suite announced today.”