Govt committed to provide GPUs at very affordable rates to students & researchers: MoS Jitin Prasada

New Delhi [India], November 18 (ANI): The government is fully committed to promoting and giving access to Graphics Processing Units at "very affordable rates" to enable students, researchers and innovators access to train AI models and develop innovative future solutions, according to Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada.
"India has the best skill and the best talent in the world," he told ANI, on the sidelines of an AI impact festival in the national capital on Tuesday.
"The intent of the government is very clear. We want this AI for all. We want it to transcend to the technology should be democratized. The AI should be for all. And that access about skilling, training our students, making them bear what the future has," the minister said.
Since its launch in 2024, IndiaAI Mission has made strong progress in expanding the country's computing infrastructure.
From an initial target of 10,000 GPUs, India has now achieved around 38,000 GPUs, providing affordable access to world-class AI resources.
A GPU or Graphics Processing Unit is a powerful computer chip that helps machines think faster, process images, run AI programs, and handle complex tasks more efficiently than a regular processor.
India stands at the cusp of a new era powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), where technology is transforming lives and shaping the nation's progress.
Initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission and the Centres of Excellence for AI are at the heart of this transformation.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the ability of machines to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. It enables systems to learn from experience, adapt to new situations, and solve complex problems independently. AI uses datasets, algorithms, and large language models to analyse information, recognise patterns, and generate responses.
Guided by the vision of "Making AI in India and Making AI Work for India", the Union Cabinet approved the IndiaAI Mission in March 2024, with a budget outlay of Rs 10,371.92 crore over five years.
In his address to the AI impact festival held today, MoS Prasada said the government is trying to make available GPU computes at very cheap rates.
"But some of them still tell me it's pretty expensive for us. So whatever suggestions also you do have on the policy front, not only students but all the stakeholders here need to contribute. Because the whole issue is that if everybody gets their skin in the game, then only can we come up with something which is the best," he sought suggestions from the gathering.
"Everyone has to chip in, give their suggestions, contribute in whichever fashion they can and the government will align. We've gone ahead with the intent that we don't want to over-regulate AI. We want it to thrive. We want our innovators and researchers to be free... We don't want to stifle it with too many rules," Prasada said. (ANI)