India's AI Skilling: Value Over Tools

India's approach to AI skilling should prioritize understanding where AI creates value and its associated costs, rather than solely teaching tool operation. Jaya Jagadish, Country Head and SVP of AMD India, highlighted that strong domain expertise, judgment, and creativity are critical for effective AI use.

AMD and the University of Delhi have announced a collaboration to train up to 10,000 students in AI skills over the next year. This initiative will grant students hands-on access to AMD's ROCm software platform for building and deploying AI applications. The program moves beyond theoretical knowledge, offering practical experience with industry-grade tools.

Jagadish emphasized that combining AI awareness with domain-specific knowledge is vital for future career success. AI, she noted, functions best as a layer enhancing existing expertise, improving productivity and fostering innovation. The cost of AI deployment is also a key consideration.

The partnership aims to democratize AI development access, preventing it from becoming a technology exclusive to a select few. This collaboration will bridge academic learning with practical AI computing platform experience, fostering a stronger pipeline of AI developers and researchers in India.