Centre considering pilot AI data trust at IIT Hyderabad: Ashwini Vaishnaw

HYDERABAD: The government is considering launching a pilot project to establish sector-specific data trusts at IIT Hyderabad to make high-quality Indian datasets available for artificial intelligence (AI) development, while ensuring secure and responsible access, Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

Speaking during an interaction with industry leaders here, Vaishnaw said the proposal emerged from discussions with industry representatives, who suggested setting up data trusts in Indian educational institutions. Welcoming the suggestion, the minister said the government could begin with a pilot project at IIT Hyderabad in partnership with industry.

Under the proposed framework, the data trusts would securely host sector-specific Indian datasets with clearly defined usage policies. The datasets would be made available to startups, researchers and companies developing AI applications, while ensuring responsible use and appropriate safeguards. Vaishnaw said such initiatives could strengthen India's AI ecosystem by improving access to trusted domestic datasets, which remain a key requirement for building indigenous AI models and applications. (IANS)

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