California: Google has unveiled a series of new AI-powered initiatives in India aimed at addressing challenges in healthcare, waste management, and agriculture. These efforts, announced during a roundtable event in Bengaluru, mark the fifth anniversary of Google’s Research Lab in the city and demonstrate the company's focus on creating societal impact through AI.
In the healthcare sector, Google has partnered with Forus Health and AuroLab in India, as well as Perceptra in Thailand, to provide AI-assisted screenings for diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to blindness. The initiative aims to facilitate six million screenings over the next ten years, particularly in underserved regions. Google's AI system, which has already supported over 600,000 screenings worldwide, plays a crucial role in early detection and prevention. Sunny Virmani, Group Product Manager at Google Health AI Research, emphasised that this project is part of a broader strategy to turn AI into tangible solutions for preventable diseases like blindness caused by diabetes.
In waste management, Google introduced CircularNet, an AI-driven computer vision model developed in partnership with Saahas Zero Waste, a Bengaluru-based company. This model helps in identifying and sorting plastic waste more efficiently, improving recycling processes and easing landfill pressures. The CircularNet system, powered by Google’s TensorFlow, achieved an 85 percent accuracy rate in a pilot program, potentially increasing revenue for material recovery facilities by up to 12 percent.
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In the agricultural sector, Google is expanding access to its Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) Research API. This tool uses satellite imagery and machine learning to provide farm-level insights, such as field boundaries and vegetation data, helping farmers make informed, data-driven decisions to promote sustainable farming practices.
Dr. Manish Gupta, Research Director at Google DeepMind, highlighted that these AI initiatives reflect Google’s commitment to addressing India’s unique challenges, improving lives through advancements in healthcare, sustainability, and agriculture.
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