MSDE partners with Meta for AI Assistant for Skill India Mission and 5 Centres of Excellence in VR/MR

Bengaluru, October 14, 2024: The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has announced partnership with Meta today for the launch of two initiatives: an AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and establishing 5 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR). Under this, an innovative AI-powered chatbot powered by Meta’s open-source Llama model will be developed, to enhance the learner experience on the Skill India Digital (SID) Portal. By making Meta's open-source AI models accessible to India's AI ecosystem, we envision a collaborative e-governance framework for adoption of impactful AI solutions with potential for catalyzing large scale socio-economic transformation in line with India’s AI Mission. Further, these 5 CoEs at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) located at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai and Kanpur will equip learners and instructors with the latest VR technology to learn and enhance existing skills in a safe, immersive, and engaging environment.

The partnership on AI assistant aims to streamline information access, improve learning outcomes, and provide students with seamless support through an intuitive digital interface. The 5 CoEs will also provide realistic simulations, improve engagement, and increase accessibility to skill development training.

Commenting on the partnership, Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said, “Our mission at the Ministry is to empower India’s youth with the skills they need to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. By integrating technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and mixed reality into the Skill India ecosystem, we are democratizing access to cutting-edge technologies enabling personalized learning pathways for the youth of the country. Our partnership with Meta today is a significant step towards achieving this goal.”

Shivnath Thukral, Vice President and Head of Public Policy, Meta India, said, “At Meta, we are committed to leveraging frontier technologies like AI, VR and MR to create meaningful impact for the economic development of India. These partnerships with the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MDSE) are a testament to our commitment to bridging the gap between technology and education. Through the integration of advanced technologies like Open-Source Llama we aim to empower not just the students, but also educators and entrepreneurs, equipping them with the tools they need to thrive in today’s digital-first world.”