Government, Meta Partner For Skill India AI Assistant, Setup Five Centres Of Excellence

The Union Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has joined hands with Meta to launch an AI Assistant for the Skill India Mission and for establishing five Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR).

This partnership will see the development of an AI-powered chatbot using Meta's open-source Llama model to improve the learner experience on the Skill India Digital Portal.

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. The chatbot will also provide valuable analytics to the MSDE to further optimise the platform.

The five CoEs at National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) located 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. The five CoEs will also provide realistic simulations, improve engagement, and increase accessibility to skill development training.

“Our mission at the ministry is to empower India's youth with the skills they need to thrive in today's competitive landscape," said Jayant Chaudhary, minister of state for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. "By integrating technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and mixed reality into the Skill India ecosystem, we are democratising access to cutting-edge technologies and enabling personalised learning pathways for the youth of the country.”

The Skill India digital portal is key to India's skilling ecosystem, with millions of students accessing courses aimed at improving their employability.

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.

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.

“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,” said Shivnath Thukral, vice president and head of public policy at Meta India.