- Microsoft Research India recently announced it is launching a center for Societal impact through Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (SCAI)
Microsoft Research India has announced the launch of a center for Societal impact through Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (SCAI). SCAI is part of the Microsoft Research (MSR) Lab in Bengaluru and the center is going to focus on creating and nurturing projects that can have real-world and large-scale societal impact, according to Mint. Through the SCAI, MSR India is going to collaborate with a number of partners, such as academia, startups, and NGOs.
“I am excited about the creation of the center for Societal Impact through Cloud and Artificial Intelligence and I am looking forward to the efforts and collaborations ahead. There are so many opportunities to leverage recent advances in cloud computing and AI technologies to address long-term societal challenges spanning multiple sectors and realms, including health and wellness, education, transportation, and agriculture,” said Microsoft Research technical fellow and director Eric Horvitz in a blog post.
SCAI is going to engage with NGOs, academicians, and startups through external collaborations. And the program will connect with graduate and undergraduate students through the SCAI Fellow program as it actively seeks collaborators through calls for proposals. SCAI collaborators are going to be provided with financial grants, access to Microsoft researchers and technologies as well as access to business insights from Microsoft for Startups. Plus MSR India’s physical space will enable members to exchange ideas and create a collaborative ecosystem.
Microsoft is currently working with four organizations, which were selected through a highly competitive RFP process. These organizations include Respirer Living Sciences (project focusing on urban air pollution), NIMHANS (project on mental health), Pratham Books (assisted translation system enabling children to read storybooks in multiple languages), and Voicedeck Technologies for Learn2Earn (a program which reinforces education and rewards learning through financial incentives).
“At MSR India, we have been conducting research in the ICTD space since our inception. We see SCAI as a natural evolution of this, and we will partner with like-minded collaborators to apply technology to solve some of the most pressing problems in today’s world. I am looking forward to truly impactful projects emerging from SCAI,” added Microsoft Research India managing director Sriram Rajamani.
Along with its partnership with Microsoft for Startups, SCAI is also working with Navana Tech to focus on building text-free and voice-assisted technology. And the organizations are also partnering with Three Wheels United, which enables scalable lending to clients in emerging markets through technology. In the past, MSR India also created projects like 99 DOTS and Digital Green — which are now independent entities that are addressing different societal issues.
