BharatGen, a groundbreaking initiative in generative AI, aims to transform public service delivery and enhance citizen engagement by developing foundational models in language, speech, and computer vision. The project was inaugurated virtually by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and other departments.
Dr. Singh highlighted BharatGen as a testament to India’s dedication to advancing homegrown technologies, positioning the country as a global leader in Generative AI, akin to its achievements with UPI and other innovations. He noted that this initiative is the world’s first government-funded Multimodal Large Language Model project focused on creating efficient and inclusive AI in Indian languages.
Led by IIT Bombay under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), BharatGen will develop generative AI systems capable of producing high-quality text and multimodal content in various Indian languages. The project is implemented by the TIH Foundation for IoT and IOE at IIT Bombay, with academic partners from premier institutes including IIT Bombay, IIIT Hyderabad, IIT Mandi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Hyderabad, IIM Indore, and IIT Madras. The inauguration was attended by IIT Bombay’s Director, Prof. Shireesh Kedare, and consortium faculty members led by Prof. Ganesh Ramakrishnan.
BharatGen aims to deliver generative AI models and applications as public goods, prioritizing India’s socio-cultural and linguistic diversity. It seeks to address broader needs such as social equity, cultural preservation, and linguistic diversity, ensuring that generative AI benefits all segments of society.
DST Secretary Professor Abhay Karandikar emphasized that BharatGen aligns with the goal of making AI accessible to all citizens, using AI not only for industrial and commercial purposes but also to address national priorities like cultural preservation and inclusive technology development.
Key features of BharatGen include its multilingual and multimodal foundation models, Bhartiya dataset-based building and training, open-source platform, and the development of a generative AI research ecosystem in the country. The project is expected to be completed in two years, benefiting various government, private, educational, and research institutions.
BharatGen will support both text and speech, covering India’s diverse linguistic landscape. By training on multilingual datasets, it will capture the nuances of Indian languages, often underrepresented in global AI models. Unlike models relying on global datasets, BharatGen focuses on collecting and curating India-centric data, ensuring accurate representation of the country’s diverse languages, dialects, and cultural contexts. This emphasis on data sovereignty strengthens India’s control over its digital resources and narrative.
BharatGen is a key initiative under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, focusing on creating foundational AI models specifically designed for India. By developing AI technologies domestically, BharatGen aims to reduce dependence on foreign technologies and bolster the local AI ecosystem for startups, industries, and government agencies.
The initiative democratizes access to AI through foundational models and detailed technical recipes, enabling innovators, researchers, and startups to develop AI applications swiftly and cost-effectively. A significant feature of BharatGen is its emphasis on data-efficient learning, particularly for Indian languages with limited digital presence. Through fundamental research and collaboration with academic institutions, BharatGen will create models that perform effectively with minimal data, addressing the needs of languages underserved by global AI initiatives. Additionally, BharatGen will nurture a dynamic AI research community through training programs, hackathons, and partnerships with global experts.
Looking ahead, BharatGen’s roadmap includes key milestones up to July 2026, such as extensive AI model development, experimentation, and the creation of AI benchmarks tailored to India’s requirements. The initiative will also focus on scaling AI adoption across various industries and public initiatives.
The launch of BharatGen, India's first government-supported Multimodal Large Language Model initiative, aims to revolutionize public service delivery through AI. Spearheaded by IIT Bombay under NM-ICPS, BharatGen will develop generative AI systems for text, speech, and multimodal… pic.twitter.com/gsvdnvjPd6
— DD India (@DDIndialive) September 30, 2024
BharatGen is poised to significantly impact startups and industries in several ways:
Reduced Dependence on Foreign Technologies
By developing AI technologies within India, BharatGen will reduce reliance on foreign AI solutions, fostering a self-sufficient ecosystem.
Democratized Access to AI
BharatGen’s foundational models and detailed technical recipes will make it easier and more affordable for startups and innovators to build AI applications. This democratization will lower entry barriers, enabling more players to participate in the AI space.
Data-Efficient Learning
The initiative focuses on creating models that are effective with minimal data, which is crucial for Indian languages with limited digital presence. This will help startups and industries develop AI solutions tailored to local needs without requiring extensive data resources.
Enhanced Innovation
By providing access to advanced AI models and fostering a vibrant research community through training programs, hackathons, and collaborations, BharatGen will spur innovation. Startups will benefit from cutting-edge research and the opportunity to collaborate with academic institutions and global experts.
Support for Diverse Applications
BharatGen’s multilingual and multimodal models will support a wide range of applications, from natural language processing to computer vision, enabling startups to develop diverse AI-driven products and services.
Strengthened Domestic Ecosystem
By nurturing a robust AI ecosystem, BharatGen will create opportunities for startups to collaborate with industries and government agencies, driving growth and development across sectors.
Focus on Socio-Cultural Needs
BharatGen aims to address India’s broader needs, such as social equity, cultural preservation, and linguistic diversity. Startups can leverage these AI models to create solutions that are inclusive and culturally relevant.
Overall, BharatGen will empower startups and industries to innovate, grow, and contribute to India’s technological advancement, aligning with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
BharatGen can offer numerous specific use cases for startups across various sectors:
Natural Language Processing (NLP):
- Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: Startups can develop multilingual chatbots and virtual assistants that understand and respond in multiple Indian languages, enhancing customer service and engagement.
- Sentiment Analysis: Analyzing customer feedback and social media interactions in regional languages to gain insights and improve products or services.
Content Creation:
- Automated Content Generation: Creating high-quality, localized content for blogs, social media, and marketing campaigns in various Indian languages.
- Translation Services: Providing accurate and context-aware translation services for businesses looking to reach a broader audience.
Healthcare
- Medical Transcription: Converting speech to text for medical records in multiple languages, improving accessibility and efficiency in healthcare documentation.
- Telemedicine: Enhancing telemedicine platforms with AI-driven language support to facilitate communication between doctors and patients who speak different languages.
Education
- E-Learning Platforms: Developing AI-driven educational tools that provide personalized learning experiences in regional languages.
- Language Learning Apps: Creating apps that help users learn new languages through interactive and AI-powered methods.
E-Commerce
- Personalized Recommendations: Using AI to analyze customer behavior and preferences to provide personalized product recommendations in regional languages.
- Voice Search: Implementing voice search capabilities in e-commerce platforms to make shopping more accessible to non-English speaking users.
Agriculture
- Advisory Services: Providing farmers with AI-driven advisory services in their native languages, offering guidance on crop management, weather forecasts, and market prices.
- Automated Reporting: Generating reports and insights from agricultural data in multiple languages to help farmers make informed decisions.
Finance
- Financial Literacy: Developing tools and apps that educate users about financial products and services in their native languages.
- Customer Support: Enhancing customer support services in the financial sector with multilingual AI-driven solutions.
Entertainment
- Content Recommendation: Offering personalized content recommendations for streaming services based on user preferences and language.
- Subtitling and Dubbing: Automating the creation of subtitles and dubbing for movies and shows in various Indian languages.
By leveraging BharatGen’s capabilities, startups can create innovative solutions that cater to India’s diverse linguistic and cultural landscape, driving growth and inclusivity in their respective industries.
