India following the right AI path with indigenous LLMs and SLMs

DR. AJAI CHOWDHRY
CO-FOUNDER
HCL

Everyone says that India is doing nothing in AI. This is a typical narrative, but it is absolutely incorrect because what we need to see is what our requirement is in this country. Is a Large Language Model (LLM) a requirement for this country or not?

All the LLM companies were present during the AI Summit and wanted to be part of what India is doing. Why did they come here? They came because India is a very big market and their LLMs are doing so well in this country, consumers are lapping them up. But the real impact of LLMs will be in other areas. If we look at the enterprise or SME market, when you start to use LLMs, you will realize how expensive they are.

India has taken the right route. India has realised that we must have our own LLMs. Sarvam and few other companies have come up, and a range of voice-based LLMs has emerged. Therefore, we are going to be self-sufficient in LLMs if we truly believe in our own products.

The real application of AI will come through Small Language Models (SLMs). SLMs will be developed for different areas like agriculture, education, climate, and more, and these are going to be made in India.

The good news is that a research institute was set up just four months ago at GIFT City in Gujarat, where we have brought some Indians back from the US to get it started. The whole idea is that if we look at our capability in AI, it is at the lower end. At the higher end, we do not have the experience today. So, to gain that experience, it is absolutely essential that we bring some of our diaspora back. The whole strategy was that the AI Mission, the Gujarat government, and the Pharma Association got together and invested ₹300 crore budget through which this AI research institute could be established. The whole objective of this AI research institute is to create SLMs for India so that we can actually solve India's problems.

SLMs will be very critical, and one of the first SLMs being introduced is the industrial AI SLM, which will be used by factories to reduce downtime. These are the kinds of applications where this research institute will work, create products, and collaborate with start-ups to take them to market.

So, do not think that India is doing nothing in AI. We have already created great LLMs, we have also created many voice-based LLMs, and now we are working on SLMs.