Google on Tuesday announced a funding commitment of $8 million for the establishment of four Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centres of Excellence in India, aimed at supporting the country’s work on AI governance and research capacity building.
The announcement was made on December 17, with officials indicating that the initiative would align with India’s broader efforts to put in place policy frameworks and institutional mechanisms for the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
According to people familiar with the development, the proposed centres are expected to work with government departments, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders on areas such as AI governance models, data management practices, and application-led research. The focus, officials said, would be on developing solutions that are relevant to public systems and administrative use cases.
The initiative is also expected to contribute to capacity building and skill development, particularly within public institutions and research bodies engaged in emerging technology domains.
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India has, in recent years, stepped up efforts to integrate AI-driven systems within its digital public infrastructure, while simultaneously working on regulatory and oversight mechanisms. Google’s funding is seen as complementing these ongoing efforts by supporting research-oriented collaboration between policymakers and technology experts.
Further details on the operational framework and institutional partnerships for the Centres of Excellence are expected to be shared in the coming weeks.