Aimed at providing opportunities to startups and the developer community to build GenAI solutions using open-source technologies in various sectors, nasscom in partnership with Meta has launched the Open-Source Generative AI Grand Challenge. Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), under the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) is the Technology Partner and will support with compute infrastructure. The challenge aims to showcase the potential socio-economic impact of these innovations on society and businesses.
GenAI is transforming digital landscapes, enhancing efficiency, innovation, and growth. Open-source AI tools democratize technology, enabling developers to create advanced solutions with minimal resources, thereby increasing AI awareness and adoption. These tools accelerate innovation through shared knowledge, customization, and reduced development costs, benefiting users with better performance, transparency, security, and accessibility.
The challenge is designed to foster a community of developers and problem solvers who can collaborate and champion open-source and GenAI technologies. It also aims to connect top solutions with industry leaders in relevant sectors to promote broader adoption.
Speaking on the occasion, Ankit Bose, Head, nasscom AI said, “This challenge underscores our commitment to supporting open-source AI development. By empowering developers with open-source tools, we can drive significant socio-economic impact. We look forward to seeing creative solutions that address real-world problems and contribute to the broader AI ecosystem.”
Shivnath Thukral, Vice President and Head of Public Policy (India), Meta said, “Openly available AI models help democratize access to cutting-edge AI technology, by enabling Indian developers build innovative solutions for applications across domains such as education, enterprise and e-governance. Open innovation can further develop India’s AI capabilities while promoting safety and innovation for unlocking economic growth.”
For the Grand Challenge, nasscom and Meta are inviting generative AI startups and developers to create impactful solutions in the domains such as Education, Enterprise and e-Governance. Through this initiative, participants will need to provide a proof-of-concept explaining their technology stack and eventually showcase a working demo of their solution. Participants are encouraged to use open-source technologies as part of their technology stack.
The winners will be selected by senior AI leaders from industry and academia. The winners in each category will get a prize money up to INR 4 lakhs and runners-up in each category will get up to INR 1 lakh each as prize money. Participants will get mentored by senior industry professionals to refine their projects during the Grand Challenge.
