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Google on Saturday exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government to drive technological advancement and foster innovation in the state. (Photo: Reuters)
It is time for Chenn.AI in Google’s artificial intelligence roadmap now. The global major has signed a deal with the government of Tamil Nadu to develop the AI ecosystem in the state.
With this partnership, the company aims to skill 2 million youth in AI via Naan Mudhalvan, collaborate with startups, and enable micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the rural economy with advanced technology. On Sunday, Tamil Nadu secured Rs 400 crore investment from US-based Ohmium International to set up a manufacturing facility in the state. The chief minister is currently on a visit to the United States seeking investments for Tamil Nadu.
The Google deal comes after Alphabet—Google’s parent company—lined up its plans to manufacture Pixel smartphones in Tamil Nadu in a tie-up with Foxconn. This will be done at an erstwhile Nokia campus in Sriperumbudur, located 40 km southwest of Chennai. Apart from smartphones, the US tech giant is also going to start manufacturing drones in the state through its subsidiary Wing LLC.
The MoU exchange took place at Google’s Mountain View office in the presence of Chief Minister M K Stalin and Industries Minister TRB Rajaa. Amit Zavery, vice president and head of platform of Google Cloud, and Nanda Ramachandran, vice president, Pixel Business Unit, Google, were also present.
Under the MoU, Google will work with Guidance, the Tamil Nadu government’s nodal agency for investment promotion and facilitation, to support the development of a robust AI ecosystem. This includes providing access to advanced technologies and resources, with an emphasis on empowering individuals, businesses, and government entities to leverage AI for inclusive growth and progress.
“We are happy to collaborate with Google on advanced manufacturing, including the recently announced Made in India Pixel 8 phone being manufactured in Tamil Nadu. The MoU signed today will explore key artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives under the Tamil Nadu AI Labs. Our partnership with Google is a significant step forward towards establishing Tamil Nadu as a thriving AI and advanced electronics manufacturing hub. We are not just adopting technology; we are harnessing its power to propel our state into the future,” Rajaa said.
“The chief minister’s visionary ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ programme, which is India’s largest upskilling initiative, aims to equip the youth of Tamil Nadu with future-ready AI skills and spark innovation across key sectors such as startups, mobility, healthcare, and other real-world challenges. The state is committed to equipping 2 million youth with cutting-edge AI skills to prepare them for the future. We look forward to exploring initiatives with Google under this programme,” he added.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the Tamil Nadu government on their journey towards an AI-powered future. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to fostering inclusive growth and technological progress through AI. We look forward to working together to build a thriving AI ecosystem in Tamil Nadu—one that not only drives innovation and creates opportunities but also empowers individuals with the skills they need to succeed in the digital age,” Zavery added.
Google and the government of Tamil Nadu are exploring collaborations regarding the manufacturing of Pixel 8 phones. The Made in India Pixel 8 devices are being manufactured in Tamil Nadu through local partnerships. Google will collaborate with the government to upskill Tamil Nadu’s workforce with AI capabilities and explore AI learning initiatives under the flagship ‘Naan Mudhalvan’ upskilling platform.
Programmes will also seek to enhance digital education to build a future-ready workforce.
Startups and Innovation: Google will work alongside Tamil Nadu’s startup ecosystem to offer mentorship and networking with Google experts and industry leaders, with AI-focused events designed to solve local challenges and foster innovation and problem-solving within the community. The Google for Startups programme will provide eligible venture capital-funded AI startups with cloud credits, technical training, and business support to accelerate their growth.
Enabling MSMEs and Rural Economy: To empower Tamil Nadu’s MSMEs, Google and Google Cloud’s partners will collaborate with the government to help leverage Google Cloud’s AI on open networks marketplace. These efforts will enable streamlined access, automate processes, enhance decision-making, and promote innovation through technology adoption. Google is committed to developing AI in a way that maximises the positive benefits to society while addressing the challenges, guided by our AI principles. We prioritise fundamental research to create solutions for the world’s most pressing issues and believe that collaboration across diverse communities is the key to accelerating progress with tangible impact while ensuring the ethical development and deployment of these transformative technologies.
First Published: Sep 01 2024 | 4:50 PM IST
