Google has long believed in the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to solve some of the toughest problems. With this belief, the tech giant has been actively working in India for the past five years, partnering with local organisations to adapt its AI solutions to better serve communities.
The tech giant has announced new collaborations in health, agriculture, and sustainability that aim to harness AI for various applications. One of the most significant initiatives is focused on preventing blindness in people with diabetes through early detection of diabetic retinopathy.
Google’s AI model for screening diabetic retinopathy has already supported over 6,00,000 screenings worldwide. Now, it will be licensed to healthcare providers in India. This partnership will allow for approximately six million AI-assisted screenings at no cost to patients over the next decade.
K. Chandrasekhar, Founder and CEO of Forus Health, expressed excitement about the partnership. ““Forus Health is thrilled to partner with Google to bring AI-powered diabetic retinopathy screening to the forefront of eye care by leveraging our innovative retinal cameras and platform. We are confident of impacting millions of lives and fulfil our mission of eliminating preventable blindness,” Chandrasekhar said.
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In addition to healthcare, Google is leveraging AI to tackle environmental issues. Its CircularNet model helps improve plastic recycling by providing insights into waste management. This open-source model uses machine learning to sort and identify plastic materials, helping organisations improve recycling processes and reduce landfill waste.
Furthermore, Google is expanding its Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) Research API, which uses satellite imagery and AI to provide insights at individual farm levels. This tool will aid farmers by offering tailored advice to enhance productivity and resource allocation.
These initiatives showcase Google’s commitment to innovation and its goal of using AI to create a more sustainable and inclusive future for India.