Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently made significant announcements during his annual visit to India. He shared insights into how Indian residents are contributing to the development of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, highlighting the potential and opportunities it brings to the country. Nadella also mentioned a social impact organization in Kharadi, which is actively building high-quality datasets for AI and expanding economic opportunities. Furthermore, he addressed concerns about job losses due to AI technology, emphasizing that policies and tools are available to manage the transition in a net positive way, even for a country like India.
One of the key announcements made by Nadella is the ambitious initiative by Microsoft to equip 2 million people in India with skills in artificial intelligence by 2025. The program, named ADVANTA(I)GE INDIA, aims to accelerate India’s AI transformation and empower its workforce for the jobs of the future. This initiative is aligned with Microsoft’s responsible AI principles and forms part of its broader Skills for Jobs initiative.
The ADVANTA(I)GE INDIA program aims to address the increasing need for AI skills in India. According to Microsoft’s recent Work Trend Index, 90% of Indian business leaders anticipate that new hires will require AI skills. However, a staggering 78% of workers currently lack these capabilities for their current roles. Through partnerships with government entities, nonprofits, and businesses across India, Microsoft plans to deliver comprehensive training to address this gap and prepare the Indian workforce for the evolving job landscape.
During his visit, Nadella also expressed optimism about the potential of AI in India and its capacity to expand economic opportunities. He underlined the critical work being done by organizations like Karya, which are actively involved in building high-quality datasets for AI, highlighting the dual benefits of such initiatives in both advancing AI capabilities and creating economic opportunities.
Nadella’s visit and the announcements made reflect Microsoft’s commitment to the Indian market and its efforts to leverage AI as a transformative force for the country’s workforce and economic growth. The ADVANTA(I)GE INDIA initiative holds promise in accelerating India’s AI transformation and preparing its workforce to embrace the opportunities presented by the advancements in artificial intelligence.
