Google has collaborated with the Central Square Foundation (CSF) to commence the ‘AI Samarth’ program. This Ministry of Education plan aims to teach more than 5 million students, teachers, and parents AI literacy in the next four years.
Launched during the recent Google For India event, this particular approach is a long-term response to the increasing requirement of AI popularization on the ground level.
The CEO of CSF, Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja, emphasized the need to make AI literacy available and understandable to any individual; people with even lower socioeconomic backgrounds must be able to be active subjects of technology.
This idea originates from the Bharat Survey for EdTech, which observed that children from humble backgrounds had biomorphic interactions with technology.
AI Samarth helps participants go from consumers of AI technologies to active contributors in an AI-powered world. Kukreja highlighted how AI can impact education by providing customized learning experiences and handling specific educational issues in India.The goal of the drive is to encourage the use of knowledge, the creation of practical applications, and the development of skills among students, teachers, and parents.
CSF’s Gouri Gupta pointed out the project's phased process, starting with raising awareness and proceeding to the development stage, which is essential for developing a deep understanding and meaningful application of AI.
Like most recent tech initiatives in India, AI Samarth aims to reduce disparities in digital access and achievement by providing government and low-fee private schools with targeted AI interventions for high-need students.
To enhance this solution's scalability and sustainability, the initiative will also develop a high-quality AI literacy curriculum reviewed by experts and an open-source content database.
These resources are designed to be timeless, in light of current swift technological developments in the AI infrastructure, while following fundamentals like equity, safety, and ethical utilization of AI.
Kukreja and Gupta acknowledge the current shortcomings of AI literacy activities and underline the centrality of contextualized and flexible learning materials. They believe that through AI Samarth, they will be able to establish a model that would work for teaching AI in regions experiencing similar issues.