India Launches BharatGen: A New Era in AI Development

India has taken a bold leap into the future of technology with the official launch of BharatGen, a pioneering generative AI initiative designed to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions for public service delivery, citizen engagement, and cultural preservation. Launched virtually in Delhi on September 30, 2024, in the presence of Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, BharatGen stands as a testament to India's commitment to technological self-reliance and innovation.

Dr. Singh hailed BharatGen as a milestone in India's journey towards becoming a global leader in generative AI, comparing it to transformative innovations like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). “BharatGen is a proud example of India's drive to build homegrown technologies that reflect our values and serve our unique needs. It solidifies India's leadership in AI on the global stage,” Dr. Singh remarked during the inauguration.

Building AI for India: BharatGen's Vision

BharatGen is India's first government-funded multimodal large language model (LLM) project focused on advancing AI capabilities in Indian languages. By developing AI models that integrate speech, text, and computer vision, BharatGen aims to overcome the limitations of global AI models that often overlook India's linguistic and cultural diversity. This initiative will offer multilingual and multimodal AI systems, empowering industries, governments, and the public to access high-quality AI tools designed specifically for India's unique context.

The project is spearheaded by IIT Bombay, with implementation by the TIH Foundation for IoT and IoE under the DST’s NM-ICPS mission. BharatGen will be executed in collaboration with several premier academic institutions, including IIT Bombay, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Madras, IIT Mandi, IIT Kanpur, IIIT Hyderabad, and IIM Indore. The goal is to create foundational AI models that will be accessible to all sectors, promoting inclusivity and the preservation of India’s rich linguistic heritage.

Key Features and Objectives

The BharatGen initiative boasts several key features that set it apart from other global AI projects:

1. Multilingual and Multimodal Models: BharatGen’s AI models will be capable of processing and generating content across multiple Indian languages in both text and speech formats, reflecting the linguistic diversity of the country.
2. India-Centric Datasets: Unlike many global AI models that rely on foreign datasets, BharatGen will focus on collecting and curating India-centric data, ensuring accurate representation of the country’s languages, dialects, and cultural nuances.
3. Open-Source Accessibility: BharatGen will be developed as an open-source platform, encouraging collaboration and innovation across the Indian AI research community. This will help foster a dynamic ecosystem of generative AI research and development within the country.

Professor Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of DST, emphasized the inclusive nature of BharatGen, stating, “BharatGen is not just an AI initiative for industries and businesses. It is designed to address national priorities such as cultural preservation, linguistic diversity, and equitable access to technology. We are committed to making AI accessible to all citizens, regardless of their background.”

Atmanirbhar Bharat: Strengthening India's AI Ecosystem

BharatGen aligns with India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), reducing dependence on foreign technologies by developing foundational AI models within the country. By empowering startups, research institutions, and government agencies, BharatGen will bolster India’s domestic AI ecosystem and drive innovation in diverse sectors such as education, healthcare, finance, and governance.

A core objective of BharatGen is to democratize AI access by offering detailed technical recipes that enable developers, researchers, and entrepreneurs to build AI applications efficiently and affordably. The initiative aims to spark a vibrant AI research community in India through training programs, hackathons, and international collaborations with leading AI experts.

Data Sovereignty and Linguistic Diversity

One of BharatGen's defining features is its commitment to data sovereignty. By focusing on India-centric datasets, BharatGen ensures that India's digital resources and linguistic narratives are preserved and accurately represented. This initiative will prioritize underrepresented languages in AI, ensuring that Indian languages with limited digital presence are included in the AI revolution.

Through innovative data-efficient learning techniques, BharatGen will develop AI models capable of functioning effectively with minimal data—an essential feature for languages and dialects that are often underserved by global AI platforms.

The Road Ahead: BharatGen’s Impact

The roadmap for BharatGen extends to 2026, with milestones including the development and experimentation of AI models, the establishment of AI benchmarks tailored to India’s needs, and the scaling of AI adoption across industries. BharatGen will focus on addressing key societal challenges while driving AI innovation in public and private sectors.

In its first phase, BharatGen will benefit government institutions, private enterprises, educational bodies, and research institutions across India. By developing AI technologies tailored for India, BharatGen will ensure that India’s AI capabilities are competitive globally while serving local needs and aspirations.

Conclusion: A New Era of Generative AI

BharatGen signals the beginning of a new era of generative AI development in India. As the world’s first government-funded multimodal LLM project, it positions India at the forefront of AI innovation. By leveraging India’s vast linguistic and cultural diversity, BharatGen will create AI technologies that reflect the values and priorities of the nation, driving inclusive growth and positioning India as a global leader in AI research and development.

As BharatGen progresses towards its 2026 milestones, it promises to not only enhance India’s technological landscape but also to contribute significantly to global AI research, particularly in the development of multilingual and multimodal AI systems.

Source: India AI / Chat GPT