WiselyWise launches the first Conversational AI curriculum at ISquareIT, Pune

Pune: 30 Aug 2019 : Hope Foundation’s International Institute of Information Technology (I²IT), Pune has launched the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is second in series after Center of excellence in Geoinformatics which they launched in the same month last year. The Centre of Excellence is an initiative aimed at promoting education, research and support services for Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications by collaborating industry
leaders.

Its main efforts will be geared towards increasing awareness, understanding, appreciation and application of AI based solutions using industry driven approach. I²IT has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WiselyWise Pte Ltd., a Singapore based company for Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) & Block Chain technology based online education services to their students and faculty members.

WiselyWise is a Singapore headquartered AI EdTech company which embarked on this journey to build curriculum to enable students for Industry leading job requirements around AI & ML. With this MoU, I²IT is a nodal center for WiselyWise online certification courses in India. The inaugural international workshop on Conversational AI was held on 30 August 2019, for which Mr Prasad Deore, Regional Head, NASSCOM, Mr Sohan Maheswar, Alexa Evangelist
from Amazon India, Mr Chandra, CEO of WiselyWise, and Mrs Priti Khare, CEO of Lila Poonawala Foundation were present. During his keynote speech, Mr Prasad Deore, assured that he will connect AI based industries through NASSCOM to the Centre of Excellence and reiterated his support to I²IT Pune.

The course will cover the basics of AI and Natural Language Processing to enable students to build skills for Alexa. The course also has a module on voice design. Considered to be the next big technology disruption, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning has captured the imagination of developers globally and many companies have moved towards creating AI solutions over the last few months. It is estimated that almost 1,500 companies with their
focus on AI were launched in Asia Pacific over the last month.

“During our discussions with many companies, we realized that there was a serious gap in getting relevant, well-trained resources on AI. Companies were forced to take other candidates and train them extensively before they are ready to be productive. We also spoke to many institutions across the US, Singapore and India, and realized that they have students who are keen to learn AI, but do not have any reliable content that helps them”, said Mr. Chandra Kumar, CEO of WiselyWise. “We created the entire curriculum working closely with the Amazon Alexa team to provide a comprehensive conversational AI and core AI &
ML cloud skills for students across K12 and STEM institutes”.

According to Dilip R.S., Country Manager for Alexa Skills and Voice Services, Amazon India, “Alexa offers amazing opportunities for Indian developers to provide the most engaging voice experiences. This initiative by WiselyWise delivers AI-ready graduates by offering a highly focused curriculum and advances our efforts to teach Alexa skill-building to students across India”

“Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Blockchain technologies are already impacting various industrial sectors and our lives. Current demand for AI ready professionals in the industries have paved a way for value added courses for graduate students. We want our students and faculty to be proficient & excel in these technologies for higher degree of placement and successful careers. In this context, we look forward for the mission ahead with
WiselyWise.” said Mrs. Aruna Katara, President of Hope Foundation & Research Centre.

The Center of excellence in Geoinformatics that was launched last year was able to fetch grants worth more than 55 Lakhs from Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India. Also, a grand consultancy project from Tom Tom India Pvt Ltd is acquired in which more than 60 students are working currently. I 2 IT hopes that newly launched Center of Excellence in AI will also achieve similar success.