G42, a prominent technology holding group based in UAE, has announced the upcoming launch of NANDA, a state-of-the-art Hindi Large Language Model. The model, consisting of 13 billion parameters and trained on approximately 2.13 trillion tokens of language datasets, aims to provide advanced AI capabilities to over half a billion Hindi language speakers. Named after one of India’s highest peaks, NANDA is the result of a collaboration between Inception (a G42 company), Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, and Cerebras Systems, and was trained on the powerful AI supercomputer, Condor Galaxy.
This release of NANDA signifies a major milestone in the field of AI for India, offering a unique opportunity for Hindi speakers to explore the potential of generative AI. In a statement, Manu Jain, CEO of G42 India, highlighted India’s growing stature as a global technology leader, underpinned by initiatives such as Digital India and Startup India. The launch of NANDA reflects G42’s commitment to supporting India’s AI ambitions and contributing to the country’s technological growth.
Dr. Andrew Jackson, Acting CEO of Inception, emphasized the significance of NANDA in promoting AI inclusivity and recognizing the cultural richness of the Hindi language. G42’s track record in developing language-specific models, such as JAIS, the world’s first open-source Arabic LLM launched in August 2023, further demonstrates the group’s dedication to linguistic AI. With a range of models catering to various parameters, JAIS paved the way for native language generative AI capabilities for over 400 million Arabic speakers globally and set a new benchmark for linguistic AI.
The success of JAIS has laid the foundation for NANDA, which aims to empower India’s scientific, academic, and developer communities by fostering a thriving Hindi language AI ecosystem. By providing broad access to AI technologies across India, G42 seeks to replicate the success achieved with JAIS and contribute to the growth of regional language AI models. Through initiatives like NANDA, G42 is committed to advancing AI development in India and promoting equitable access to cutting-edge technologies.
In conclusion, G42’s announcement of the upcoming launch of NANDA underscores the group’s commitment to driving innovation and expanding AI capabilities in the Indian market. With a focus on linguistic diversity and inclusivity, NANDA represents a significant step towards harnessing the potential of generative AI for Hindi language speakers. As India continues to emerge as a global technology hub, initiatives like NANDA play a crucial role in supporting the country’s AI ambitions and fostering a dynamic AI ecosystem.
