India's Ministry of Skill Development Partners with Meta to Launch AI-Powered Chatbot and VR/MR Centers of Excellence

MSDE Partners with Meta, Sarvam AI to Launch AI Assistant, Five VR/MR Centers of Excellence

Under the collaboration, an AI chatbot powered by Meta's Llama model will be integrated into the SID Portal. The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced a partnership with Meta to introduce an AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and establish five Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai, and Kanpur. "By integrating technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and mixed reality into the Skill India ecosystem, we are democratising access to cutting-edge technologies enabling personalised learning pathways for the youth of the country. Our partnership with Meta today is a significant step towards achieving this goal," said Shri Jayant Chaudhary, minister of state for skill development & entrepreneurship. He highlighted that the partnership seeks to equip India's youth with essential skills for today's competitive environment. By integrating AI, VR, and MR technologies, the initiative aims to provide broader access to advanced technologies, personalizing the learning experience on the Skill India Digital (SID) Portal. Under the collaboration, an AI chatbot powered by Meta's Llama model will be integrated into the SID Portal. The chatbot will offer 24/7 assistance, providing course information, interactive Q&A, and access to lecture summaries. It will be available in English, Hindi, and Hinglish, with voice capabilities via WhatsApp. Users will also be able to search for specific topics, find skilling centers, explore job listings, and receive feedback for improvement. The AI assistant will be developed by Sarvam AI and piloted for six months. "Excited to be the GenAI partner for this! We SarvamAI will be developing the GenAI tutor bot to accompany courses on the Skill India Digital portal to enable better learning for the users. Edtech is emerging as an interesting area of focus for us," said Tushar Goswamy, Strategy & GTM at Sarvam AI. Meta's Shivnath Thukral, vice president and head of public policy for India, said the partnership aligns with the company's commitment to integrating AI, VR, and MR technologies for education and skill development in India. The five CoEs will offer VR-based immersive learning environments, enhancing skill training for students and instructors. Skillveri, the technical partner for the CoEs, will provide the necessary VR and MR resources, curriculum, and training to support this initiative.

MSDE partners with Meta for AI Assistant for Skill India Mission and 5 Centres of Excellence in VR/MR

The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has announced partnership with Meta today for the launch of two initiatives: an AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and establishing 5 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR). Under this, an innovative AI-powered chatbot powered by Meta's open-source Llama model will be developed, to enhance the learner experience on the Skill India Digital (SID) Portal. By making Meta's open-source AI models accessible to India's AI ecosystem, we envision a collaborative e-governance framework for adoption of impactful AI solutions with potential for catalyzing large scale socio-economic transformation in line with India's AI Mission. Further, these 5 CoEs at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) located at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai and Kanpur will equip learners and instructors with the latest VR technology to learn and enhance existing skills in a safe, immersive, and engaging environment. The partnership on AI assistant aims to streamline information access, improve learning outcomes, and provide students with seamless support through an intuitive digital interface. The 5 CoEs will also provide realistic simulations, improve engagement, and increase accessibility to skill development training. Commenting on the partnership, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said, "Our mission at the Ministry is to empower India's youth with the skills they need to thrive in today's competitive landscape. By integrating technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and mixed reality into the Skill India ecosystem, we are democratizing access to cutting-edge technologies enabling personalized learning pathways for the youth of the country. Our partnership with Meta today is a significant step towards achieving this goal." Shivnath Thukral, Vice President and Head of Public Policy, Meta India, said, "At Meta, we are committed to leveraging frontier technologies like AI, VR and MR to create meaningful impact for the economic development of India. These partnerships with the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MDSE) are a testament to our commitment to bridging the gap between technology and education. Through the integration of advanced technologies like Open-Source Llama we aim to empower not just the students, but also educators and entrepreneurs, equipping them with the tools they need to thrive in today's digital-first world." The Skill India Digital Portal has become a cornerstone of the nation's skilling ecosystem, with millions of students accessing courses aimed at improving their employability. With the launch of the AI chatbot, MSDE and Meta are taking a significant step forward in revolutionizing how students interact with course content and prepare for the future. Sarvam AI, the technical partner for the AI assistant project, will be responsible for the development and deployment of the chatbot, which will be piloted over a six-month period. The chatbot, which will be integrated into the SID Portal, offers 24/7 assistance to users, enabling quick discovery of course information, interactive Q&A for course content, and access to lecture summaries and relevant videos for revision. Available over WhatsApp, the chatbot will support English, Hindi, and Hinglish, along with voice capabilities, making it more accessible to a diverse range of users across India. In addition, users can search for specific course topics, find skilling centers, explore job listings based on location and interest, and receive tailored feedback for continuous improvement. The chatbot will also provide valuable analytics to the MSDE to further optimize the platform. Further, Skillveri, the technical partner for establishing the CoEs, will provide cutting-edge VR and MR resources, curriculum, and trained professionals to equip learners and instructors with the latest technology, enabling immersive and interactive learning experiences.

MSDE join hands with Meta to provide AI assistance under Skill India Mission

Chaudhury-led ministry of skills development and entrepreneurship will also set up five centers of excellence (CoEs) in virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) located at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai and Kanpur. The aim is to streamline information access, improve learning outcomes and provide students with seamless support through an intuitive digital interface.The ministry of skill development and entrepreneurship (MSDE) entered into a partnership with Meta India to provide artificial intelligent (AI) assistant for the Skill India Mission and to establish five centers of excellence (CoEs) in virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) located at Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai and Kanpur. "Our mission is to empower India's youth with the skills they need to thrive in today's competitive landscape," Jayant Chaudhary, minister of state (independent charge), MSDE said. "By integrating technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and mixed reality into the Skill India ecosystem, we are democratizing access to cutting-edge technologies enabling personalized learning pathways for the youth of the country," he said. Under this partnership, an AI-chatbot powered by Meta's open-source Llama model will be developed, which will enhance the learner experience on the Skill India Digital (SID) Portal. The chatbot, which will be integrated into the SID Portal, will offer 24/7 assistance to users, enabling quick discovery of course information, interactive question and answers for course content, and access to lecture summaries and relevant videos for revision. The partnership on AI assistants aims to streamline information access, improve learning outcomes and provide students with seamless support through an intuitive digital interface, the ministry said. According to a statement issued by the ministry, it will be available over WhatsApp and will support English, Hindi, and Hinglish, along with voice capabilities, making it more accessible to a diverse range of users across India. Through this, Indian users can search for specific course topics, find skilling centers, explore job listings based on location and interest, and receive tailored feedback for continuous improvement, it said. "The chatbot will also provide valuable analytics to the MSDE to further optimize the platform. Sarvam AI, the technical partner for the AI assistant project, will be responsible for the development and deployment of the chatbot, which will be piloted over a six-month period," it added. Further, the five CoEs at NSTIs will equip learners and instructors with the latest VR technology to learn and enhance existing skills in a safe, immersive and engaging environment. The five CoEs will also provide realistic simulations, improve engagement and increase accessibility to skill development training.

Skill ministry, Meta join hands to launch AI assistant for Skill India Mission

The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship has partnered with Meta to introduce an AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and establish five VR and mixed reality centres. The initiative aims to enhance learning experiences through advanced technologies, making skill development more accessible and engaging.The Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship on Monday said it has entered into a partnership with Meta to launch an AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and establish five centres of excellence in virtual reality and mixed reality. Under the partnership, an innovative AI-powered chatbot powered by Meta's open-source Llama model will be developed to enhance the learner experience on the Skill India Digital (SID) Portal. Moreover, the five centres of excellence at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jodhpur, Chennai, and Kanpur will equip learners and instructors with the latest VR technology to learn and enhance existing skills in a safe, immersive, and engaging environment, according to a statement. "The partnership on AI assistant aims to streamline information access, improve learning outcomes, and provide students with seamless support through an intuitive digital interface. The five centres of excellence will also provide realistic simulations, improve engagement, and increase accessibility to skill development training," a statement said. Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, said, "By integrating technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality and mixed reality into the Skill India ecosystem, we are democratising access to cutting-edge technologies enabling personalised learning pathways for the youth of the country. Our partnership with Meta today is a significant step towards achieving this goal." Shivnath Thukral, Vice President and Head of Public Policy, Meta India, said, "Through the integration of advanced technologies like Open-Source Llama we aim to empower not just the students, but also educators and entrepreneurs, equipping them with the tools they need to thrive in today's digital-first world." Sarvam AI, the technical partner for the AI assistant project, will be responsible for the development and deployment of the chatbot, which will be piloted over a six-month period, as per the statement. The chatbot, which will be integrated into the SID Portal, offers 24/7 assistance to users, enabling quick discovery of course information, interactive Q&A for course content, and access to lecture summaries and relevant videos for revision. Available over WhatsApp, the chatbot will support English, Hindi, and Hinglish, along with voice capabilities, making it more accessible to a diverse range of users across India. In addition, users can search for specific course topics, find skilling centres, explore job listings based on location and interest, and receive tailored feedback for continuous improvement.