India needs to think about its leapfrog moment in AI research: B Ravindran

IIT Madras' B Ravindran says India must focus on AI penetration, data, and infrastructure - not just chasing ChatGPT - as BharatGPT, Sarvam and India AI mission chart the nation's path forward

Professor B Ravindran heads the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and is regarded as a leading expert on artificial intelligence. His work has shaped national AI policies and thinking on using the technology ethically. Ravindran, in an interview with Shine Jacob in Chennai, spoke about India’s progress in AI. Edited excerpts:

 

When can we see Indian large language models (LLM) like China’s DeepSeek or a ChatGPT of America’s Open AI? 

It (DeepSeek) didn’t happen momentarily. The Chinese government deliberately started investing in it over a decade ago. It’s just that