IIT Madras’ Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) at the Wadhwani School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (WSAI) is launching a new capacity-building program to train Indian government officials on building, procuring and scaling responsible AI systems.

Developed in partnership with Google and the Digital Futures Lab (DFL), an independent, interdisciplinary research studio, the program was announced during the ‘Conclave on Strengthening Human Capital for the AI Era’, held at IIT Madras today (19th Dec 2025).

The initiative aims to equip Government officials with technical, operational and governance skills required to deploy AI effectively in public institutions. With AI increasingly influencing sectors such as education, service delivery and digital governance, the program seeks to address the growing need for AI awareness, literacy and robust decision-making frameworks within government.

Highlighting the need for such initiative in the public sector, Prof. B. Ravindran, Head, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI), IIT Madras, said, “As AI systems increasingly influence decision-making, it is important that their development and deployment are rooted in trust and inclusion. Through this Conclave, we hope to create a shared platform for open dialogue on the responsible use of AI, with a particular focus on strengthening human capital through AI for education and education about AI. By bringing diverse stakeholders under one roof, our goal is to co-create policy-relevant, context-aware frameworks that reflect the lived realities of the Global South.”

Talking about the partnership with IIT Madras and Digital Futures Lab for Conclave, Preeti Lobana, Country Manager, Google India, said,“A thriving digital India can only be built on a foundation of trust. As AI becomes an intrinsic part of our daily lives, protecting India's digital future becomes a collective responsibility. We are proud to partner with IIT Madras and the Digital Futures Lab to operationalize this vision. This program is about more than just technology adoption; it is about empowering professionals across the private and public sector with the knowledge to deploy AI responsibly, ensuring that safety and fairness are embedded at the core of India’s digital transformation.”

Dr. Urvashi Aneja, Founder and Director, Digital Futures Lab, said,“We are delighted to be kicking off this capacity building program on AI with the India AI mission, along with CeRAI, and with support from Google. Strengthening capacity within government is perhaps the most important lever needed for effective and responsible use of AI in India. It will also provide the foundation for India’s leadership on responsible Ai in the global south and we hope we can soon take this program to other countries in the Global South as well.”

The curriculum will enable government officials to understand foundational AI technologies and their applications. Further, it will also help government officials to evaluate AI solutions for procurement and scale and implement responsible AI practices aligned with India’s policy frameworks. Identifying risks, limitations and governance requirements in real-world deployments will also be focus areas of the curriculum.

Through case studies, workshops and hands-on sessions, participants will also assess their departments’ current AI readiness and identify pathways to adopt or improve AI-based tools in their respective domains.

The Conclave on Strengthening Human Capital for the AI Era serves as a pre-summit event to the India AI Impact Summit 2026. It aims to convene researchers, policymakers, academics, industry leaders, civil society organizations and representatives from underrepresented regions to deliberate on building an AI-ready workforce across governance and education.

The Conclave will also enhance AI literacy for both direct and indirect users of AI and align with national skilling priorities with AI-driven digital transformation. Such events will ensure the adoption of safe, trusted and human-centered AI systems.


ABOUT WADHWANI SCHOOL OF DATA SCIENCE & AI, IIT MADRAS:

Founded in 2024, the School brings together several faculty with expertise in various areas of Data Science and AI, to work together on impactful problems of direct relevance to society. The school is home to the 18th and newest department (Department of Data Science and AI) at IIT Madras, has several affiliated research centres, and a vibrant research ecosystem, with several interest groups, focused on exciting areas. The school also offers a BTech in AI & Data Analytics, an MTech in Data Science and AI, and multiple programmes for international students.