Welcome to "The AI Exchange" by Analytics India Magazine (AIM) - Unfiltered Conversations with AI Founders and Leaders! In this premiere episode, I sit down with Vishnu Vardhan, FOUNDER & CEO of SML GEN AI & Vizzhy Inc., for an in-depth discussion on Hanooman, India's pioneering entry into multilingual multimodal foundational models. This platform stands as a robust national contender to international AI models like ChatGPT. What is Hanooman? Explore this innovative technology set to revolutionize AI development in India. Why did Vishnu switch from medicine to AI? Hear about his compelling journey from being a doctor to an AI innovator, and his educational pursuits at MIT. How did Hanooman secure its resources and GPUs? Understand the challenges and strategies involved in assembling the necessary assets for AI development. Clearing the air on BharatGPT: Vishnu exclusively shares on our podcast that Jio has not invested in Hanooman, nor are they involved in its development. He addresses the misconceptions and sets the record straight about Hanooman's relationship with BharatGPT. Controversy around Ola's Krutrim model: Vishnu discusses the competitive landscape, offering frank viewpoints on the challenges and rivalries within the Indian AI ecosystem, particularly with Ola's Krutrim model. The need for more AI research funding in India: Vishnu emphasizes the importance of investing in robust AI research to foster innovations that could lead to breakthroughs akin to seminal works like Google's "Attention Is All You Need." Don’t miss this exclusive conversation that goes beyond the technology to address the underlying challenges, controversies, and triumphs of AI development in India. Who do you want to see next in the Conversation series? Comment below. Remember to Like, Subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with every episode of The AI Exchange, where we get into the stories of the individuals and technologies shaping the future of AI. 00:00 - 00:51 - Teaser 00:51 - 01:20 - Introduction to The AI Exchange 01:20 - 02:40 - Know Vishnu Vardhan 02:40 - 08:48 - Vishnu's journey from Medicine to AI 08:48 - 10:11 - What is Hanooman 10:11 - 11:54 - Launch date for Hanooman 11:54 - 13:46 - Why India needs foundational models 13:46 - 14:48 - Details about Hanooman 14:48 - 17:20 - Truth about BharatGPT 17:20 - 20:25 - Why Hanooman 20:25 - 22:17 - BharatGPT's role in Hanooman 22:17 - 24:20 - Truth about Jio’s involvement & BharatGPT's Future 24:20 - 26:14 - Govt's IndiaAI mission 26:14 - 29:57 - Lack of Research funding in India 29:57 - 32:06 - Funding for Hanooman 32:08 - 34:22 - Thoughts on Krutrim 34:22 - 38:23 - GPU requirements and Why only Nvidia GPUs 38:23 - 40:27 - Fundraising 40:27 - 42:06 - Indian Founders don't Innovate 42:06 - 46:08 - Reality of Indian VCs Dry Powder 46:08 - 47:20 - Thoughts on IT companies 47:20 - 49:43 - How'll be the Hanooman experience 49:43 - 52:55 - Indic Datasets for training models 52:55 - 54:17 - Govt's role 54:17 - 56:57 - Insights on 3AI's partnership 56:57 - 57:55 - Hiring process 57:55 - 59:00 - Hired a 9th standard kid 59:00 - 01:00:09 - End goal for Hanooman 01:00:09 - 01:04:15 - Closing thoughts #ai #india #innovation #llms #bharatgpt #jio #reliancejio #hanooman #chatgpt #chatbot #ainews #gpu #indiaaimission #nvidia