AMD Launches Large-Scale AI Training Programme
The American chipmaker AMD has announced a big plan to skill 100,000 STEM graduates in India in the next three years in the areas of AI and GPU programming. This course is designed to provide hands-on training with open-source ROCm software tools. This includes compilers, libraries, and runtimes, developed by AMD optimized for AI and high performance computing on AMD GPUs. AMD hopes in arming early-career engineers with these capabilities. It can foster a deep pool of technical talent that will help power the next wave of AI-powered breakthroughs in India.
AMD Offers 100,000 Hours of Free GPU Cloud Access
To bolster the training effort, AMD said it will also offer Indian researchers and start-ups free cloud access to local developers, totalling 100,000 hours during the next three years. This access to infrastructure breaks the cost barrier, enabling explorers to experiment with real AI workloads without major up-front investment. The push aims to bolster India’s open-source AI ecosystem and enable start-ups to develop production-ready apps sooner.
AMD’s Vision for Democratized AI Development
In an environment with expensive, concentrated high-end GPU compute, AMD’s program makes advanced AI infrastructure accessible to a larger audience. According to CTO and EVP Mark Papermaster, by eliminating the barriers to cost and complexity, AMD is democratising compute. In a press release, AMD India country head Jaya Jagadish makes the point that this is not just about training programmers. It’s about developing the workforce to fuel India’s AI economy.
Why This Matters for India’s AI Ecosystem
India has been working to scale up artificial intelligence capabilities at the national level with initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission. This already provides subsidised access to about 18,000 GPUs through the government’s compute portal. AMD’s contribution — training and free cloud hours — provides an equally complementary private-sector push to heighten access and ability. Together, such efforts can create an end-to-end pipeline. Trained graduates along with available infrastructure.
Of particular relevance would be in a world where there is a scarcity of computing and it is expensive. Programs like AMD’s help lay the groundwork for India’s tech talent to compete. And for start-ups to locally build without relying on costly hardware shipped from abroad. India’s drive for “building sovereign AI” capacity is also being supported by increased GPU access from providers such as Yotta and elsewhere via the government portal.
AMD’s Strategic Role in India’s AI Growth
AMD has also been growing its presence in India over the past few years. Not just with this training program, but through provider partnerships like Jio. AMD’s ecosystem enabling – from silicon deployment, to developer training – places AMD as a partner in India’s AI revolution as the country emerges as a critical market for AI infrastructure.
Crucially, the program is built on AMD’s ROCm open compute stack. Which is used to move the world of artificial intelligence (AI) development into the open. And which an increasing number of academic and research institutions are taking advantage of. That meshes nicely with India’s aspirations to cultivate local AI innovation and steer clear of vendor lock-in.
Wrapping Up
With today’s introduction, AMD is making a bold gesture to help accelerate the readiness of India’s AI capabilities. AMD drives growth by combining skill development with compute access, training 100,00 graduates and offering 100,00 free GPU cloud hours. The move bolsters India in the global AI race, farms fresh opportunities for startups and research. And it is yet another signal of AMD’s commitment to democratising next-gen compute. As AI becomes core to driving economic prosperity, AMD’s program is positioned to make an exponentially magnified impact. This happens one trained engineer and one GPU hour at a time.
About The Author
