A consortium led by Reliance Industries Ltd, backed by Mukesh Ambani, and India’s top engineering schools is set to launch its first ChatGPT-style service next month, marking a significant stride in the nation’s AI ambitions.
Diverse Applications of BharatGPT
Dubbed BharatGPT, the initiative involves Reliance Industries Ltd and eight affiliated universities, showcased a preview of the large language model during a technology conference in Mumbai. The demo displayed interactions in various Indian languages, showcasing its potential applications across sectors like healthcare, governance, finance, and education.
The dubbed AI model, Hanooman—displayed a motorcycle mechanic interacting with the AI bot in Tamil, a banker conversing with the tool in Hindi and a Hyderabad-based developer using the tool to write a computer code.
Collaboration and Support of BharatGPT
Developed in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology universities, including Bombay, and supported by Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. and the Indian government, BharatGPT aims to cater to the diverse linguistic landscape of India.
Targeting India-Specific Needs
While major Silicon Valley firms focus on building larger LLMs, BharatGPT’s approach targets India-specific needs, providing more accessible models for smaller businesses and government departments.
According to Ganesh Ramakrishnan, chair of IIT Bombay’s computer science and engineering department, BharatGPT’s model, named Hanooman, will also incorporate speech-to-text capabilities, catering to millions who cannot read or write.
Customized Models by Reliance Jio
Reliance Jio plans to develop customized models for specific purposes, including Jio Brain, a platform integrating AI across its massive subscriber network.
BharatGPT’s collaborative effort represents a unique private-public partnership in India, involving major players from diverse sectors, reminiscent of the country’s traditional joint family structure, where interdependence fosters collective success.
