Google to invest $8M in AI research projects across India
What's the story
Google has announced an investment of $8 million to strengthen India's artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem. The funding, which will be routed through Google.org, will go toward four government-backed AI Centers of Excellence. The move is part of India's larger goal to "Make AI in India and Make AI work for India." The announcement was made during Google's "Lab to Impact" dialogue event attended by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Research mission
AI centers to advance research and public service
Pradhan emphasized that India is looking at AI as a strategic national capability rather than a fleeting technology trend. He said the four AI Centers of Excellence are part of a coordinated national research mission. They will promote foundational research, responsible AI, and applied solutions serving public purposes. This is in line with India's larger aspiration of becoming "Viksit Bharat 2047."
Project support
Funding allocation for various AI projects
The $8 million commitment will fund research at several institutions. This includes TANUH at IISc Bengaluru for non-communicable disease treatment, the Airawat Research Foundation at IIT Kanpur for AI-driven urban governance, and the AI Center of Excellence for Education at IIT Madras. It will also support ANNAM.AI at IIT Ropar in its work on agriculture and farmer welfare.
Sectoral focus
Google to support AI in healthcare
Google has also announced a $400,000 funding to support collaborations using its MedGemma models for building India-specific health foundation models. Ajna Lens will partner with experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to build AI tools for dermatology and OPD triaging.
Accessibility boost
Google to enhance access to healthcare information
Google is also working with the National Health Authority, to use AI in converting millions of unstructured medical records into the international fast healthcare interoperability resources (FHIR) standard. The move is aimed at improving patient understanding, lowering documentation burdens, and enabling better policy decisions. Further, over 400,000 NHA-registered health facilities will be brought onto Google Maps and Search for easier access to official healthcare information.
Linguistic diversity
Google announces funding for Indic language technologies
To promote inclusive AI, Google has announced a $2 million founding contribution to establish an Indic Language Technologies Research Hub at IIT Bombay. The hub will ensure that AI systems better reflect India's linguistic diversity. For developers and start-ups, Google has announced $50,000 grant each to Gnani. AI and CoRover. AI for their work on Indic-language voice and e-governance solutions.