US India Artificial Intelligence Initiative | 20 Mar 2021
Why in News
Recently, US India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) initiative has been launched to scale up the science and technology relationship between India and the United States.
Key Points
- US India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) is an initiative of Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) which was established in March 2000.
- The Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, and the U.S. Department of State are respective nodal departments for IUSSTF.
- The USIAI will focus on AI cooperation in critical areas that are priorities for both countries.
- Example: Healthcare, smart cities, materials, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing.
- It will bring together key stakeholders from India and the United States to create synergies that address challenges and opportunities at the interface of science, technology, and society.
- This will provide an opportunity to discuss the emerging AI landscape, and address the challenges of developing an AI workforce.
- Related Recent Initiative:
- India has launched National AI Strategy (NITI Aayog) and National AI Portal (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) and has also started leveraging AI across various sectors such as education, agriculture, healthcare, e-commerce, finance, telecommunications, etc.
- Recently MyGov Corona Helpdesk Chatbot bagged two awards under categories (1) “Best Innovation for Covid-19 – Society” and (2) “People’s Choice Covid-19 Overall Winner” at the recently held CogX 2020. CogX is a prestigious Global Leadership Summit and Festival of Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technology held annually in London.
- Recently, India joined the 'Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI)' as a founding member to support the responsible and human-centric development and use of AI.
- As per a recent report, India reported a 45% increase in the use of Artificial Intelligence, the highest among all countries, because of shift in buying behaviour and new business challenges (owing to Covid-19 pandemic).
- RAISE 2020 – ‘Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020’ was jointly organised by the NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
- Vaishwik Bhartiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Summit was organised in 2020 to discuss key areas like quantum technologies, artificial intelligence among others.
- India has launched National AI Strategy (NITI Aayog) and National AI Portal (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) and has also started leveraging AI across various sectors such as education, agriculture, healthcare, e-commerce, finance, telecommunications, etc.
Artificial Intelligence
- It describes the action of machines accomplishing tasks that have historically required human intelligence.
- It includes technologies like machine learning, pattern recognition, big data, neural networks, self algorithms etc.
- AI is different from hardware driven robotic automation. Instead of automating manual tasks, AI performs frequent high volume computerised tasks reliably.
- AI is often misunderstood for machine learning. AI is a broader concept with a bunch of technologies that include machine learning and other technologies like natural language processing, inference algorithms, neutron networks etc.
- AI techniques now have become an essential part of the technology industry helping to solve many challenging problems in computer-science. From Apple Siri to self driving cars, AI is progressing rapidly.