Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a “terrific” meeting on Monday, where they discussed Google’s ongoing commitment to India and its plans to expand its operations, leverage AI, and increase its partnerships.
Google’s Plan To Boost Electronics Manufacturing In India
One of the topics that PM Modi and Mr Pichai discussed was Google’s plan to participate in expanding the electronics manufacturing ecosystem in India. PM Modi appreciated Google’s partnership with HP to manufacture Chromebooks in India, which are affordable laptops that run on Google’s Chrome OS.
Google has also announced that it will invest $10 billion in India over the next five to seven years through the Google for India Digitization Fund, which will focus on four areas: enabling affordable access and information for every Indian in their own language, building new products and services that are relevant to India’s unique needs, empowering businesses as they continue or embark on their digital transformation, and leveraging technology and AI for social good, in areas like health, education, and agriculture.
Google’s 100 Languages Initiative And AI Tools For Good Governance
Another topic that PM Modi and Mr Pichai discussed was Google’s 100 languages initiative, which aims to make Google’s products and services accessible and useful for people who speak different languages. PM Modi encouraged Google to work on AI tools that can help in good governance, such as improving public service delivery, enhancing citizen engagement, and promoting transparency and accountability.
Google has already launched several AI-powered features and products for India, such as:
- Google Lens, which allows users to point their camera at text and get translations, definitions, and relevant information.
- Google Assistant, which supports nine Indian languages and can help users with tasks like booking cabs, checking the weather, playing games, and more.
- Google Pay, which leverages the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to enable fast and secure digital payments for millions of Indians.
- Bolo, which is a speech-based app that helps children learn to read in Hindi and English.
- Flood forecasting system, which uses AI and satellite imagery to provide early warnings and alerts to people in flood-prone areas.
Google’s Global Fintech Operations Centre In Gujarat
PM Modi also welcomed Google’s plans to open its global fintech operations centre at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT) in Gandhinagar. This will be Google’s first such centre outside the US, and it will provide support for Google Pay and other fintech products across the world.
Mr Pichai informed PM Modi that Google is committed to improving financial inclusion in India by leveraging the strength and reach of GPay and UPI. He also said that Google is working with banks and financial institutions to provide low-cost loans, insurance, and savings products to millions of Indians through GPay.
Global Partnership On AI Summit In New Delhi
PM Modi also invited Google to contribute to the upcoming Global Partnership on AI Summit, which will be hosted by India in December 2023 in New Delhi. The summit will bring together experts, researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders from around the world to discuss the opportunities and challenges of AI for humanity.
Mr Pichai said that Google is looking forward to participating in the summit and sharing its insights and best practices on AI. He also emphasized Google’s commitment to contribute to the development trajectory of India.
