India Urged to Boost AI Skills as Tech Leaders Chart Future Path

The conclusion of the India Global Innovation Connect (IGIC) 2024 in Bengaluru on Friday underscored the urgent need for India to strengthen its skill development initiatives, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and related fields.

Amitabh Kant, India's G20 Sherpa, emphasized the critical importance of bridging the gap between industry demands and the available talent pool. He called for a strategic overhaul of engineering education to align with contemporary needs in AI, machine learning, data science, and cybersecurity.

"The curriculum of many engineering colleges and our IITs needs to be reoriented and restructured to address today's demands and supply chain issues," said Kant. "The next five years will focus on skilling and apprenticeships to create numerous new jobs."

Claude Smadja, Chairman of Smadja & Smadja Strategic Advisory, hailed IGIC 2024's successful conclusion as a significant milestone in promoting global collaboration within digital and startup ecosystems. "Experts from various countries exchanged ideas on technology trends, biotech, deep tech, innovation, and AI. We are confident that we will continue to build on this momentum for IGIC 2025," Smadja noted.

Soumitra Dutta, Dean and Professor of Management at Said Business School, Oxford University, highlighted India's favorable economic policies and the renewed enthusiasm for technology and entrepreneurship among students and youth. "There is energy and hunger around entrepreneurship in India, and the country's brand has transformed, now recognized for its software programmers and talented pool," Dutta said.

The mission of IGIC is to foster technology and business interactions between India's ecosystems and global counterparts, identify opportunities in disruptive technologies, and explore business partnerships. Building on previous successes, IGIC 2024 was organized by Smadja & Smadja Strategic Advisory, with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission as a strategic partner.

The event received support from government and business organizations such as Swissnex, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), German Entrepreneurship, French Tech India, Business France, and Enterprise Singapore. According to a press release, global and domestic industry leaders outlined key focus areas crucial for the growth trajectory of government, industry, and startups in the coming years.

IGIC 2024 attracted over 400 attendees, including industry leaders, startup founders, venture capitalists, corporate and government dignitaries, and technology and public policy experts. The second day featured keynote addresses and panel discussions on technology trends, the biotech and genomics landscape, deep tech ecosystem challenges, intelligent technologies, scaling strategies, and evolving trends in VC/startup ecosystems.

Notable partners included Founding Sponsor Tata Digital Private Limited, Strategic Partner Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, Sponsors Axilor Ventures and WizFreight, and Knowledge Partners Covington & Burling and Swissnex. Partner organizations also included the Japan External Trade Organization, Start2 Group, Enterprise Singapore, French Tech India, and Business France.

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