Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, reshaping industries and societies globally. Once a conceptual frontier, AI has become a driving force for innovation, productivity, and the disruption of traditional business models across various sectors. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have played a pivotal role in this revolution by reskilling and upskilling Indian talent. In 2024, IITs nationwide made remarkable contributions through various AI initiatives and specialized courses. As the year draws to a close, let's look at some of the standout AI initiatives by IITs in 2024.

IIT Bombay signed a MoU with Samsung R&D Institute for AI research: IIT Bombay partnered with Samsung R&D to explore breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), digital health, and other critical areas. The five-year partnership will facilitate joint research projects, allowing IIT Bombay students and faculty to collaborate with Samsung engineers. This approach will not only open newer avenues for the students but will enhance their industry readiness. In addition, it will equip Samsung engineers with specialized training and certification programmes from IIT Bombay in emerging technologies such as digital health and AI.

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Centre for Human-Centric AI: IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation launched a 'Centre for Human-Centric Artificial Intelligence' (CHAI) to harness AI to amplify human potential, which could be a critical opportunity for India. IIT Madras Pravartak is the technology innovation hub of IIT Madras. The Centre's activities include technology development, aiding entrepreneurship development, human resource development, and international collaborations. 

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Srijan and YuvAI: The launch of Srijan, a pioneering Center for Generative AI at IIT Jodhpur, in collaboration with Meta and IndiaAI, marks a significant advancement in India's AI ecosystem. Paired with the "YuvAI Initiative for Skilling and Capacity Building," developed in partnership with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), these programs aim to transform open-source AI in India. Together, they target skill development, research acceleration, and nurturing indigenous talent capable of addressing national challenges using generative AI.

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IAF-IIT Delhi partnership: Headquarters Maintenance (HQ) Command, Indian Air Force Nagpur, and IIT Delhi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on advancing innovative technologies for aviation textiles. Under the MoU, IIT Delhi and HQ Maintenance, IAF Nagpur, will cooperate, collaborate, and promote research and development in areas of obsolescence management, self-reliance, upgradations, and digitization through Indigenisation in the field of aviation-grade textiles.

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NHA and IIT Kanpur signed a MoU to develop digital public goods for AI in healthcare: The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Health Authority (NHA) and IIT Kanpur, witnessed by Union Health Secretary Shri Apurva Chandra, marks a pivotal step in leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) for healthcare in India. This partnership aims to create a federated learning platform that incorporates multiple machine learning model pipelines, an open benchmarking platform for AI models, and a secure consent management system for research under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).

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IIT Madras launched online AI courses for school students: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has launched two online certificate courses for students in classes 11 and 12. The courses offered are data science art, artificial intelligence, and electronic systems. The courses are part of the IITM School Connect programme, which aims to provide Hands-On Experience of Career Choices for Class XI and XII students.

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IIT Delhi Signed MoU with Honda to Advance Cooperative Intelligence for Future Mobility: IIT Delhi entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Honda Cars India Limited (HCIL) to advance further Honda CI (Cooperative Intelligence). It is an AI that enables mutual understanding between machines and people through cooperative action and communication using environment, scene, and intention understanding. 

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