Boosting Indigenous AI: IIT Hyderabad to Host Data Trust Trial

Delhi, July 11 – As part of its strategic push to nurture homegrown artificial intelligence, the government is evaluating a pilot AI data trust at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. The scheme is designed to safeguard Indian data assets and make them available for responsible AI innovation.

Minister Ashwini Vaishnav conveyed that industry stakeholders have recommended establishing data trusts within India’s premier educational institutions. He affirmed that, with industry cooperation, the pilot could be launched at IIT Hyderabad, creating a model for future data‑trust endeavors.

The initiative will involve the secure collection of sector‑specific datasets, accompanied by transparent usage guidelines. These datasets would later be offered to startups, academic researchers and AI‑centric enterprises, fostering the creation of models and applications that meet indigenous needs. Stringent security protocols will be enforced to ensure ethical and safe data handling.

According to the minister, expanding access to trustworthy domestic data is vital for producing AI solutions that are accurate, locally relevant and capable of competing internationally. The effort is expected to fortify India’s AI ecosystem and accelerate the development of self‑reliant AI technologies.