5 May 2024

A Primer on Compute

AADYA GUPTA, ADARSH RANJAN

Computational power, or compute, is a fundamental building block in the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions at scale. Compute enables AI models to process vast amounts of data, perform complex calculations, and make intelligent decisions by learning from this data. Compute is required to train models to learn patterns and logic, enable real-time decision-making, and ensure a smooth user experience by reducing latency.

In October 2023, the Indian government initiated a discussion regarding a proposal to set up 25,000 GPUs in the country, with the vision to make compute accessible to Indian companies engaged in the development and use of AI. During his address at the inauguration of the Global Partnership for Artificial Intelligence Summit in December 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a vision to “establish adequate capacity of AI compute power in Bharat.” Subsequently, in March 2024, the cabinet approved a Rs. 10,372-crore outlay for the IndiaAI Mission, under which the government aims to establish compute capacity of at least 10,000 GPUs through the public-private partnership model. These developments have sparked debates within academic and policy circles on India’s approach to compute, and the role of the government and the private sector in providing access to compute.

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