Mumbai, February 12 The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay announced on Thursday that it has signed an agreement with Columbia University, based in the US, to establish a center for artificial intelligence (AI) for manufacturing.
This is a joint research and translation center aimed at building robust, scalable, and human-centric AI systems for real-world manufacturing, IIT Bombay said in a statement.
The Ministry of Education has already initiated four different AI centers.
"The Columbia-IIT Bombay Center for AI for Manufacturing is a significant step in strengthening India's manufacturing ecosystem through advanced, human-centric AI. By building open and interoperable industrial AI infrastructure, this initiative will support industry modernization, empower MSMEs, nurture startups, and develop future-ready talent," said IIT Bombay director Prof. Shireesh Kedare.
He added that this partnership reflects our commitment to nation building – positioning India as a global leader in AI-driven manufacturing innovation.
This new center aims to address all aspects of manufacturing, including semiconductors, robotics, industrial manufacturing, process industries including pharmaceuticals, food processing, refining and petrochemicals, construction and infrastructure development, as well as transport and logistics.
By leveraging the complementary strengths of Columbia University and IIT Bombay in various domains, such as foundational AI, optimization, manufacturing, and process engineering, this center will develop end-to-end, interoperable industrial AI infrastructure that addresses shop-floor realities such as legacy equipment, noisy data, real-time constraints, and multilingual workforces, the statement said.
Through close engagement with industry partners, this center will deliver applied research, customized solutions, talent development, and startup translation, while also releasing foundational datasets, models, and interfaces as public goods to strengthen India's diverse manufacturing ecosystem, including MSMEs, it added.
