Reliance, Nvidia partner to build large-scale AI infrastructure in India

The partnership will see Reliance deploying Nvidia's latest GB 200 supercomputer technology to build a massive AI infrastructure.

In Short

• Reliance and Nvidia partner to build AI infrastructure in India
• Reliance to use Nvidia's GB 200 supercomputer technology
• Aim to make AI affordable like Jio did for mobile data

Reliance Industries and Nvidia announced a partnership to build large-scale AI infrastructure in India in a move that could accelerate India's artificial intelligence capabilities. The announcement came during a fireside chat between Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the Nvidia AI Summit 2024 in Mumbai.

The partnership will see Reliance deploying Nvidia's latest GB 200 supercomputer technology to build a massive AI infrastructure.

"India will start with what is the absolute best technology you have," Ambani told Huang during their conversation at the Jio World Centre. "We are building infrastructure for 1 GW, which can be expandable to multiple at one location."

The collaboration aims to make AI accessible and affordable to India's 1.4 billion population, following a model similar to what Reliance's Jio did for mobile data. Ambani highlighted how Jio currently delivers data at 15 cents per gigabyte compared to the global average of $3.5, demonstrating the company's ability to democratise technology at scale.

Huang highlighted India's unique advantages in the AI race, citing the country's large pool of IT talent, vast amounts of digital data, and a massive user base that can create an "AI flywheel." Nvidia, which has over 10,000 engineers in India, sees the partnership as crucial for building indigenous AI capabilities.

The initiative aligns strongly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for AI in India. Huang revealed that PM Modi had articulated the importance of India manufacturing its own AI rather than "exporting data to import intelligence" during their previous interactions.

"Modi ji said, India should not just export flour to import bread. We should add value to the data ourselves," Huang said recalling his past meeting.

Both leaders also acknowledged the role of open-source AI models, particularly Meta's Llama, in democratising AI development. Mukesh Ambani suggested that Indian developers could use Llama as a foundation to potentially develop more advanced Indian language models in the future.

The partnership marks a significant step in India's AI journey, combining Nvidia's cutting-edge technology with Reliance's execution capabilities and infrastructure expertise.