Indian Startups Pioneering AI Infrastructure for Accessibility
In a notable shift towards making artificial intelligence accessible to the masses, Indian startups are stepping up to build the necessary infrastructure. Tanuj Bhojwani, who previously faced challenges with his drone-based services startup a decade ago, has now embraced the evolving landscape of public-private tech solutions, inspired by Nandan Nilekani's vision for India's digital public infrastructure (DPI).
After joining the DPI initiative in 2016, Bhojwani gained valuable insights into population-scale tech platforms. His experience culminated in a collaboration with Nilekani during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the book The Art of Bitfulness, aimed at promoting a healthier relationship with digital devices.
The advent of generative AI, particularly ChatGPT, sparked Bhojwani's interest in leveraging technology for social good. In April 2023, discussions among DPI stakeholders in Bengaluru led to the conception of a pivotal question: “What is the UPI of AI?” This inquiry aimed to identify a framework for an AI infrastructure that could democratize access to artificial intelligence in India.
This vision materialized in June 2023 with the establishment of People+ai, an initiative supported by the EkStep Foundation, co-founded by Nilekani and his wife, philanthropist Rohini Nilekani. Bhojwani serves as the founding head of People+ai, which aims to incubate AI ideas focused on population-scale applications without seeking equity or financial returns. Instead, the organization offers a robust support network, encouraging startups to "pay it forward."
People+ai’s mission encompasses four key objectives: identifying population-scale AI use cases in India, building the necessary infrastructure for these applications, fostering collaborative communities, and promoting awareness of the initiatives being developed.
Recent projects initiated under People+ai include Jan Ki Baat (People's Voice), Sthaan (Place), and Open Cloud Compute. Jan Ki Baat envisions an AI bot that can engage users in their native languages, offering insights into government schemes and addressing potential corruption. This interaction allows for feedback collection and analysis to enhance transparency and accountability.
Sthaan aims to create a protocol that facilitates location identification in a country where many lack clear addresses. By providing user-friendly identifiers, this project seeks to simplify navigation for individuals in need.
Open Cloud Compute focuses on establishing a network of micro data centers, providing accessible computing resources for AI development.
Other notable projects at People+ai include initiatives aimed at expediting green building certifications, improving communication for the hearing impaired (approximately 63 million individuals), and exploring AI applications in mental health support.
As these startups strive to create an inclusive AI ecosystem, the focus remains on ensuring that technology benefits all segments of Indian society.
