Need to collaborate with UK, Japan, Germany in artificial intelligence: Report

The government should drive cross-border collaboration on artificial intelligence research with countries like Japan, UK, Germany, Singapore, Israel and China to develop solutions that tackle social and economic challenges, a report said today.

The Ministry of External Affairs and Department of Science and Technology (DST) may take the lead in developing such relationships, suggested the Assocham-PwC joint study.

It observed that forming cooperative relationships with some of the front-runners such as Japan, the UK, Germany, Singapore, Israel and China to develop solutions that tackle social and economic challenges can aid and accelerate strategy formulation in artificial intelligence, machine learning and other new-age technologies in India.

"Exchanging best practices and learning from prior initiatives is one way of strengthening cooperation," noted the study.

The study also suggested that policy planning in artificial intelligence (AI) must be aimed at creating an ecosystem that is supportive of research, innovation and commercialisation of applications.

"... The public sector, with its various schemes (Digital India, Make in India, Skill India, etc.), could identify areas where specific applications of AI and robotics can be utilised to increase reach, effectiveness and efficiency, thus giving direction to existing innovation across different fields," the study recommended.

It suggested setting up digital data banks and exchanges to stream information from various industries along with revision of secondary school and university curricula to inculcate interest in AI.

Another enabling factor for AI growth would be setting up centres of excellence supporting inter-disciplinary research across law, medicine, engineering, management and the social sciences, said the study.

"Government could act as a catalyst in furthering growth by opening training centres focused on equipping young individuals with high-end skills in the field of analytics and ML, which, in turn, could be tied in with inviting data-driven global enterprises to set up their centres of excellence in India," it pointed out.

The report added that this could be an extension of the Digital India and National Skill Development initiatives to meet the growing demand of analytical and AI competency, which would be beneficial for country's human capital.