AI Impact Summit Highlights
The AI Impact Summit in New Delhi showcased significant announcements by tech giants on enhancing AI infrastructure, forming cross-border partnerships, and making substantial capital commitments, particularly highlighting the Global South narrative.
Key Announcements and Investments
- Microsoft
- Reaffirmed a commitment to invest $50 billion by the end of the decade to boost AI infrastructure and capabilities globally, focusing on the Global South.
- Plans to spend $17 billion in India, emphasizing infrastructure such as data centers, connectivity, and electricity to bridge the gap between the Global North and South.
- Google
- Announced a new subsea cable route to enhance AI connectivity between the US, India, and the southern hemisphere.
- Launched ambitious skilling programs, including a Google AI function certificate to master AI at work.
- Introduced a $30 million Google.org AI for Science Impact Challenge to drive scientific breakthroughs.
- Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Nvidia
- Announced plans to build a gigawatt-scale AI factory, aiming to establish a robust AI compute backbone in the region.
- The AI factory model will provide advanced AI services to various sectors, moving from experimental to production-scale deployment.
- Yotta Data Services
- Plans to invest an additional $4 billion this year to procure 40,000 graphic processing units from Nvidia.
Strategic Partnerships and Programs
- OpenAI is partnering with IT Delhi, IIM Ahmedabad, and others to develop AI-ready talent.
- Qualcomm committed up to $150 million for a Strategic AI Venture Fund in India.
Vision for AI Expansion
Tech leaders emphasized the pivotal role of AI infrastructure in enabling India’s growth and its positioning as a global digital hub. Prime Minister Modi's vision to democratize AI access across the Global South was underscored as a central theme at the summit.
