IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation has launched the ‘Centre for Human-Centric Artificial Intelligence’ (CHAI) to harness AI in amplifying human potential, presenting a critical opportunity for India.
The centre’s activities will include technology development, support for entrepreneurship development, human resource development, and international collaborations.
AI safety is a growing concern among policymakers and regulators. Striking a balance between regulation and innovation is crucial. This newly launched centre will help identify risks to inform future regulations, ensuring that India’s AI development remains safe and responsible while maximising innovation in the Indian context.
IIT-M Pravartak, the parent organisation of this centre, is already working on projects of national importance with the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, the Indian Parliament (via Sansad TV) and the Indian Army.
This new centre will collaborate with Central and State Government agencies, industry, start-ups, and academic researchers to deliver solutions that enhance and amplify human potential in India. The solutions developed and the lessons learned may also be applied in other countries.
The scope of the centre will focus on three dimensions: enhancing human potential, protecting citizens, and amplifying societal values embodied through culture and heritage, according to a press release.
Prof. Gaurav Raina, the Chief Scientist at the Centre and a faculty member in the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Madras, said, “The focus of this centre also aligns with the broad principles of Industry 5.0, which emphasises human-centricity and sustainability. The focus will be on translational research that leads to impactful solutions in the form of data sets, AI models, tools and AI applications in the areas aligned with the scope of the centre”.
IIT-M Pravartak Technologies, a Section 8 company, houses the Technology Innovation Hub on Sensors, Networking, Actuators, and Control Systems. It is funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems and is hosted by IIT Madras.