India's AI dream, capping movie tickets, and stranded NASA astronauts to return home
Mar 17, 2025
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In this engaging discussion, Vidhathri Rao, a tech reporter at The Indian Express, shares insights into India's ambitious plans for AI, including the creation of a Telugu Large Language Model, highlighting the importance of linguistic diversity in tech. Sanath Prasad, an expert on the Kannada film industry, analyzes the implications of the Karnataka government's cap on movie ticket prices at Rs 200, detailing the conflicting reactions from filmmakers and multiplexes. The podcast also touches on the successful return of NASA astronauts after their SpaceX mission.
India's pursuit of its own large language model aims to address linguistic diversity and enhance accessibility for users in native languages.
The Karnataka government's plan to cap movie ticket prices at Rs 200 seeks to revitalize local cinema, though multiplexes express concerns over revenue impacts.
Deep dives
India's Focus on Artificial Intelligence Development
India is actively pursuing the development of its own large language model (LLM) as part of the India AI mission, which aims to foster an AI-centric ecosystem. The government has recognized the importance of AI technology for national progress, especially in light of China's recent advancements with tools like DeepSeek, which was developed more affordably than its American counterparts. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishno announced that India will allocate significant funding towards this initiative, and this includes calls for proposals to create foundational models within the next year. The move signifies India's ambition to not only catch up with global leaders in AI but to also serve its diverse linguistic population effectively by creating models that truly represent Indian languages and dialects.
Challenges of Developing Language Models for India
Creating an effective LLM for India involves addressing unique linguistic and cultural nuances that existing models fail to capture. As discussed, many international models struggle with region-specific content, highlighting the need for an Indian model that encompasses the vast diversity of Indian languages, dialects, and cultural contexts. Organizations like Swecha are working on building language models in regional languages such as Telugu by curating localized data that reflects everyday speech and local expressions. This approach aims to create models that resonate with users, making technology more accessible and relevant for the average Indian, allowing for better interaction in their native languages.
Implications of Capping Movie Ticket Prices
The Karnataka government has proposed capping movie ticket prices at Rs 200, a move aimed at revitalizing the local film industry and boosting attendance in theaters. This proposal has historical roots, as similar measures have previously been proposed to increase footfall for Kannada films, which have been overshadowed by non-Kannada cinema. While supporters argue that it will provide a level playing field for local productions, multiplex operators have expressed concern that such a cap could negatively impact their revenues and business models, as they rely on higher ticket prices to sustain operations. The outcome of this initiative could significantly alter the landscape of film viewing in Karnataka, potentially leading to more opportunities for regional filmmakers.
SpaceX's Successful Crew Return Mission
A SpaceX capsule has successfully returned astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to Earth after an extended mission in space, marking a significant milestone in international space collaboration. The Crew-10 mission, which included a smooth docking with the International Space Station, plays a crucial role in swapping crew members and continues NASA's partnership with SpaceX, which has become essential for US space operations since the retirement of the Space Shuttle. This mission not only underlines the reliability of private aerospace ventures but also indicates the importance of timely crew rotation for maintaining operations in space. Following nearly nine months in orbit, Williams and Wilmore are expected to return home soon, concluding their prolonged assignment amidst ongoing technical challenges faced by other spacecraft.
First, we talk to The Indian Express' Vidhatri Rao about India's quest to create its own Large Language Model. She talks about Swecha, an NGO that is collecting data to create a Telugu LLM, by way of which she explains the nuances that developers will require to focus on in order to create an Indian LLM.
Next, The Indian Express' Sanath Prasad talks about the Karnataka government's announcement regarding capping all movie tickets at Rs 200, including multiplexes. He explores why the Kannada film industry is in favour of the decision while the multiplexes are not. (15:49)
Lastly, we speak about the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule reaching the International Space Station making way for NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to return back home after nine months. (29:26)
Hosted by Niharika Nanda Produced by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar
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