PM, Pichai discuss data security, use of AI in agriculture
   Date :14-Jul-2020

PM Pichai _1  H
 
 
NEW DELHI,
 
PRIME Minister Narendra Modi and Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday held discussions on a wide range of issues such as data security and concerns around privacy, use of technology to transform lives of farmers and ways to expand the scope of online education, the Prime Minister’s Office said. During the virtual interaction, they also spoke about the new work culture that is emerging in the times of COVID-19. “We discussed the challenges the global pandemic has brought to areas such as sports.
 
We also talked about the importance of data security and cyber safety,” the Prime Minister said in a series of tweets. According to a statement issued by the PMO, Modi also talked about further leveraging technology in providing healthcare services. During the course of interaction, the Prime Minister discussed the issue of data security and concerns around privacy. “He (PM) said that tech companies need to put in efforts to bridge the trust deficit. He also talked about cyber crimes and threats in the form of cyber attacks,” the statement said.
 
The Prime Minister talked about farmers benefiting from technology and the possible wide-ranging benefits of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture. The Prime Minister explored the idea of virtual labs that can be used by students as well as farmers, the statement said. “This morning, had an extremely fruitful interaction with Sundar Pichai. We spoke on a wide range of subjects, particularly leveraging the power of technology to transform the lives of India’s farmers, youngsters and entrepreneurs,” Modi said. Pichai is chief executive officer of Alphabet Inc and its subsidiary Google LLC.
 
The Prime Minister remarked that India is amongst the most open economies in the world. He also spoke about recent steps taken by the Government towards reforming agriculture. Modi also spoke about the campaign to create new jobs, while also highlighting the importance of re-skilling. Other areas of discussion included technological solutions to expand the scope of online education, access to technology in native language, use of AR/VR to give a stadium-like viewing experience in the field of sports, and progress in the area of digital payments, the statement said. Modi appreciated the proactive role played by Google in battling misinformation and conveying information about necessary precautions regarding coronavirus.
 
Google to invest Rs 75,000 crore in India
 
NEW DELHI :
 
GOOGLE chief executive Sundar Pichai on Monday announced plans to invest Rs 75,000 crore in India over the next five to seven years to help accelerate the adoption of digital technologies in the country. India-born Pichai, who held a virtual meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday morning, made the announcement at annual ‘Google for India’ event via video conference. Announcing the Rs 75,000 crore investment in India over the next 5-7 years through ‘Google for India Digitisation Fund’, Pichai asserted that the move is a reflection of company’s confidence in the future of the country and its digital economy.
 
Pichai said a whole new generation of technologies are happening in India first, and that people in the country no longer have to wait for technology to come to them. “There’s no question we are facing a difficult moment today, in India and around the world. The dual challenge to our health and economies have forced us to rethink how we work and how we live. But times of challenge can lead to incredible moments of innovation,” Pichai said. The company is committed to ensure that India not only benefits from the next wave of innovation, but in fact leads it, he said.
 
“Today, I’m excited to announce the Google for India Digitisation Fund. Through this effort, we will invest Rs 75,000 crore, or approximately USD 10 billion, into India over the next 5-7 years. We’ll do this through a mix of equity investments, partnerships, and operational, infrastructure and ecosystem investments,” Pichai said. Investments will focus on four areas key to India’s digitisation, including enabling affordable access and information for every Indian in their own language, be it Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi or any other, he said.
 
Other focus areas will be building new products and services relevant to India’s unique needs, empowering businesses as they continue or embark on their digital transformation, and leveraging technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for social good, in areas such as health, education, and agriculture.