Rajeev Chandrasekar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Entrepreneurship, Skill, and Development, said that 10 Artificial Intelligence (AI) labs will be established in colleges at Thiruvananthapuram under the India AI Mission launched the previous week. In a press conference, the Union Minister also said that ‘A Global Tech Giant’ will help by collaborating in operating these labs, whose names will be disclosed when he feels the time is right.
Around 17 colleges have applied for the AI labs, out of which 10 AI labs have been shortlisted for the first phase under the India AI Mission from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The names of the colleges are yet to be finalized and will be declared soon, said the Union Minister. More labs will be added and supported for the next five years under the AI Mission.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar said “ I said I was starting it, not ending it. I believe such labs will spread all across Kerala and India.” He further added, “ It is not just the government of India, but a collaboration with the government of India with a global AI giant.”
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Rajeev Chandrasekhar is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the General Elections to be held in Kerala against sitting Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor. He explained that the election or poll promise was not the reason for choosing Kerala’s capital for the announcement. He feels the need to do it for the people of Thiruvananthapuram and is not misusing government machinery for it. He has been part of such programs earlier at other places and is now doing them in Kerala.
“I have a reason to start here. I have come here to represent Thiruvananthapuram. I am the candidate, and that is why I am doing it. I do not have anything to cover up in this. If I were a typical politician, I would have done this after the election.”. Said Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. He further clarified, “ Only now can I talk about Thiruvananthapuram, as I got a chance only now. If you had asked me two years ago, how would I have spoken about Thiruvananthapuram then? Only now have I got a chance.”
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As per the India AI Mission, Rs 10,361 crores have been allocated for the development of the AI ecosystem in India, out of which Rs 2000 crores have been set aside for these AI startups, according to the Union Minister. Setting up these laboratories in the colleges will support and provide mentorship to students as well as startups in upskilling opportunities.
