IBM, a leading player in IT services, has recently unveiled the extension of its research alliance with two prominent academic institutions in India, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. This renewed partnership is geared towards spearheading advancements in the dynamic fields of hybrid cloud technology and artificial intelligence (AI), and was officially announced on Wednesday.
Dr. Amith Singhee, the Director of IBM Research India, emphasized the significance of this strategic collaboration, which further builds upon the ongoing initiatives between IBM and these esteemed educational institutions. He expressed, “Innovation thrives on collaboration, and our partnership with IIT Bombay and IISc Bangalore highlights the value of combining diverse expertise. By merging IBM’s formidable technological capabilities with the cutting-edge research talents of these prestigious institutions, we are cultivating a collaborative ecosystem that pushes the frontiers of scientific exploration.”
This renewed commitment to joint research and innovation underscores IBM’s dedication to staying at the forefront of technology development by harnessing the collective strengths of academia and industry. Together, they aim to explore new horizons in the rapidly evolving realms of hybrid cloud and AI, ultimately shaping the future of these transformative technologies.
IBM’s longstanding partnership with IIT Bombay dates back to 2018, marked by the introduction of the IBM AI Horizon Network within the prestigious Indian engineering college. This collaboration was an instrumental step in bringing the cutting-edge world of artificial intelligence to the campus community, bridging the gap between academia and industry. Since then, the alliance has continued to evolve, strengthening the ties between IBM and IIT Bombay in the pursuit of technological excellence.
In 2021, IBM expanded its academic collaborations in India by inaugurating the IBM-IISc Hybrid Cloud lab in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. This state-of-the-art facility further solidified the commitment to advancing research in hybrid cloud technologies, a critical area in today’s digital landscape. The lab served as a nexus for pioneering research, fostering innovation and exploration into the potential of hybrid cloud solutions.
IBM, in a statement, underscored the central goal of this enduring partnership – to cultivate a culture of innovation and provide practical solutions to complex global challenges. It seeks to achieve this by leveraging the collective intellectual firepower of students, faculty, and industry researchers from these esteemed institutions. Together, they are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and driving real-world impact through collaborative research endeavors.
Professor Sachin Patwardhan, serving as the Dean of Research and Development at IIT Bombay, elucidated the profound synergy that exists between the abundant talent pool within IIT Bombay and the technological prowess of IBM. This synergy, he emphasized, possesses the remarkable potential not only to expand the frontiers of knowledge but also to tackle pressing national challenges, such as enhancing healthcare affordability, extending educational outreach, and optimizing the management of burgeoning industrial and urban infrastructure. The collaboration’s aspirations extend far beyond research, striving to make a meaningful impact on critical aspects of India’s development.
In this renewed partnership between the IT giant and India’s esteemed academic institutions, the focus will be on a spectrum of cutting-edge research domains, including Natural Language Processing, Generative AI for Time Series analysis, combating fake News, Hybrid Cloud Optimization, and Sustainable Computing. These areas represent the forefront of technological innovation, with the potential to reshape industries, society, and the way we interact with technology.
Professor Yogesh Simmhan, an Associate Professor in the Department of Computational and Data Sciences at IISc, offered insights into the collaboration’s significance. He highlighted how engagement with IBM researchers is instrumental in exploring the practical dimensions of research challenges in Cloud platforms and sustainability. Moreover, it seeks to investigate methods for democratizing access to quantum hardware in the Cloud, with profound implications for scientific and enterprise applications. This approach underscores the partnership’s commitment to both fundamental research and its real-world applications.
It’s worth noting that the longstanding collaborations between the IT company and these distinguished educational institutions have borne fruit in the form of numerous research publications, as well as a significant body of Master’s and PhD theses. This prolific output reflects the fruitful exchange of knowledge and expertise, shaping the next generation of innovators and advancing the frontiers of science and technology.
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