IIT Madras’ Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) at the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI) has launched a new capacity-building program to train Indian government officials in building, procuring and scaling responsible AI systems.

The initiative, developed with Google and the Digital Futures Lab (DFL), was announced at the Conclave on Strengthening Human Capital for the AI Era held at IIT Madras.

The program aims to equip officials with technical, operational and governance skills to deploy AI effectively across public institutions, addressing growing needs in areas such as education, service delivery and digital governance.

Prof B Ravindran, Head of WSAI, highlighted the importance of trust and inclusion in AI-driven decision-making, while Google India Country Manager Preeti Lobana emphasized embedding safety and fairness at the core of India’s digital transformation. DFL Founder Dr. Urvashi Aneja said strengthening government capacity is key to India’s leadership in responsible AI across the Global South.

Preeti Lobana, Country Manager, Google India, said, “This program is about more than just technology adoption; it is about empowering professionals across the private and public sector with the knowledge to deploy AI responsibly, ensuring that safety and fairness are embedded at the core of India’s digital transformation.”

The curriculum will cover AI fundamentals, evaluation of AI solutions for procurement and scale, risk identification, and responsible AI practices aligned with India’s policy frameworks. Through case studies, workshops and hands-on sessions, participants will also assess their departments’ AI readiness.

The conclave serves as a pre-summit event to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, bringing together stakeholders to advance AI literacy and build a future-ready governance and education workforce.

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