Bhubaneswar: A centre of excellence to train technical students in Odisha on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been set up by Tech Mahindra and Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) in the city.
The training on AI would help students build smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence, Skill Development and Technical Education Minister Premananda Nayak said.
The centre will function from the College of Engineering and Technology (CET) here and it will offer a 6- to 12-month course on AI technology. The centre will also offer training to professionals to address issues related to AI technology in various government organisations and industries.
The minister, who revealed this in a written reply to MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik in the Assembly, said steps have been taken to provide skill training to students on AI and coding.
The Survey of Aspiring Minds-2019 reported that in Odisha, only 2.5 per cent engineers have expertise in AI while 4.6 per cent have skills on coding.
To address the issue, the minister said the facility has been created for skill training on AI and coding at CET and provisions have been made to provide extra coding courses such as Python, C and C++ to the students.
Similarly, skill training on coding is being provided at engineering colleges and polytechnics through CISCO NetAcad programme.
Nayak said Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla has geared up to offer courses on AI and machine learning under TEQIP-III programme.
Besides, supercomputers have been installed at VSSUT, CET, IGIT and Parala Maharaj College of Engineering with support from C-DAC for high-speed computing and machine learning, he added.