Google has unveiled significant investments aimed at bolstering artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in India, with a total commitment of $15 billion over the next five years. A key highlight of this initiative is the establishment of new undersea cable routes that will enhance AI connectivity between India and various international locations, particularly the United States and regions across the Southern Hemisphere. This move is part of the company’s broader strategy under the newly launched America-India Connect initiative.

Sundar Pichai Announces the America-India Connect Initiative

During a recent event in Delhi, Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, presented the America-India Connect initiative, which aims to create additional sub-sea cable routes. Pichai articulated the significance of this endeavor, stating that it would facilitate improved AI connectivity, thereby expanding opportunities in the sector. He emphasized the necessity of investing in skill development, announcing the introduction of the Google AI Professional Certificate programme designed to aid individuals in enhancing their AI proficiency.

New Subsea Cable Landing Station in Visakhapatnam

As part of the America-India Connect initiative, Google plans to set up a new international subsea landing station in Visakhapatnam, located on India’s eastern coastline. This facility will provide an additional entry point into Google’s global network. From this station, three new subsea routes are proposed to connect India with Singapore, South Africa, and Australia. Furthermore, four additional terrestrial fibre routes will be constructed to bolster connectivity with the United States and other Southern Hemisphere destinations.

Aim to Enhance Network Capacity and Reduce Outages

The introduction of these subsea cables is intended to augment network capacity and diminish the likelihood of outages by diversifying data traffic flow. This infrastructural expansion is aligned with the growing need for cloud computing and AI services in India. It is also poised to strengthen Google’s connections with regions including Africa, Australia, and parts of Southeast Asia.

Investment in Data Infrastructure and Cloud Capacity

In conjunction with the subsea cable initiative, Google’s investment will also focus on developing the requisite data infrastructure and cloud capacity needed to facilitate the large-scale provision of AI services. This entails an expansion of data centre capabilities to assist in training, deploying, and storing AI models. The investment aims to establish foundational infrastructure that supports long-term AI adoption across both public and private sectors rather than just a transient product launch.

Support for AI in Government and Scientific Research

Google has announced additional initiatives aimed at promoting AI usage in government services and scientific exploration. Among these are the $30 million Global AI for Government Innovation Impact Challenge and the $30 million AI for Science Impact Challenge, both designed to foster the integration of AI in public services and research endeavors. Google DeepMind is forming partnerships with local government bodies to enhance access to AI models, thus aligning with national research priorities.

Collaboration for Public Sector Skilling

In terms of skill development, Google Cloud is collaborating with Karmayogi Bharat to bolster the iGOT Karmayogi platform, which serves over 20 million public servants across 800 districts in India. This partnership will involve converting traditional training materials into digital formats that are searchable and accessible in plus 18 Indian languages, thereby enhancing training efficiency for public sector employees.

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