The Indian government has selected Sarvam (सर्वम) to develop the nation's first indigenous AI model. This company will create a large language model (LLM) capable of understanding Indian languages. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced this significant step, stating that the government will provide Sarvam with GPUs (Graphics Processing Units).
New Delhi: India's Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector is witnessing a historic shift. The Indian government has chosen Sarvam, a startup, to build the country's first indigenous Large Language Model (LLM). This AI model will be specifically designed to understand Indian languages, enhance their analytical capabilities, and cater to India's vast and diverse population. The government has pledged ₹200 crore (approximately $24 million USD) in support to the startup. This initiative aims to make the Indian AI sector self-reliant and establish India as a b player on the global stage.
Building the AI Foundational Model
This decision follows an announcement by the country's IT Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw. He revealed that Sarvam has been entrusted with building India's first AI foundational model. Furthermore, two or three more startups may join the project in the future. Sarvam AI has already developed a Hindi language model based on Meta's LLAMA2-7B. Additionally, this model is capable of functioning in Hindi, English, and Hinglish and demonstrates performance comparable to ChatGPT 3.5.
Government Support and GPU Provision
The Indian government will provide Sarvam AI with approximately ₹200 crore (approximately $24 million USD) in the form of GPUs (Graphics Processing Units). These GPUs are crucial for training AI models and will be utilized to propel Sarvam's project towards success. The government believes this support will enable the retention of Indian data within the country, fostering self-reliance in the AI sector.
Aiming for Self-Reliance in the AI Sector
Sarvam AI aims to develop an AI model that understands Indian languages and can be instrumental in healthcare, education, agriculture, and other sectors. This initiative will accelerate the progress of AI in India and could establish the country as a leading global player in AI technology. Furthermore, it will provide Indian businesses with the opportunity to leverage their data effectively, enabling them to create more impactful AI models tailored to local needs.
Sarvam AI's Founding Leadership
Sarvam AI was founded in 2023 by Vivek Raghavan and Prateek Kumar. Previously, both worked on Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani's AI4Bharat project. Vivek Raghavan stated on this occasion, "Through Sarvam AI, we will utilize the data of Indian enterprises and develop AI models for specific domains. This will be a b step for the Indian AI sector." Furthermore, Sarvam AI secured $41 million in Series A funding this year, further accelerating its growth.
India's AI Sector Moving Towards the Future
This step will not only strengthen India's AI sector but also give it a new global identity. AI models tailored to Indian languages and contexts will significantly benefit Indian society and industry. Moreover, this model will bring greater accuracy and efficiency to government services, the public sector, and the private sector.
India's first indigenous AI model is significant not only from a technological standpoint but also marks a milestone in achieving self-reliance in the AI sector for India. In the coming years, startups like Sarvam could play a leading role in the Indian technology landscape.
