SAWiT.AI, a collaborative effort between South Asia Women in Tech (SAWiT) and GUVI,has recently announced an initiative to train 500,000 Indian women in AI skills.
This is the world’s largest women-only Generative AI Learning Challenge, aims to bridge the gender gap in the workforce and position India as a global leader in AI innovation.
India’s female workforce participation rate was a mere 24% in 2022, significantly lower than China’s 61%. This low participation rate is a critical issue as over half of urban women are homemakers.
Studies by the McKinsey Global Institute estimate that increasing female workforce participation by just 10% could add a staggering $550 billion to India’s GDP.
The initiative will provide hands-on experience with leading AI tools, supported by a distinguished advisory council that includes Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Tech, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, an acclaimed actor and women’s empowerment advocate, and Farzana Haque, a Senior Leader at Tata Consultancy Services.
The SAWiT.AI initiative comprises three main events:
- SAWiT.AI Learnathon (September 21, 2024): A hands-on learning experience in Generative AI.
- SAWiT.AI Hackathon (October 2024): The world’s largest women-led Generative AI challenge, where teams develop advanced AI applications.
- SAWiT.AI Festival (November 2024): Celebrating Generative AI innovation, awarding challenge winners, and recognizing pioneering institutions, partners, and sponsors.
Women from both tech and non-tech backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Interested candidates can register at the SAWiT.AI registration page for a nominal fee of INR 99, with the deadline for registration set for September 18, 2024.