New Delhi: In an effort to democratise future technologies and empower youth to innovate, Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and Meta have announced the launch of Frontier Technology Labs (FTLs). Atal Innovation Mission and Meta will partner to set up FTLs in schools of strategic importance to ensure that students from diverse backgrounds across India will have equal opportunities to learn and engage with frontier technologies. Till date, AIM has established 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) in schools across 722 districts in India. The objective of ATLs is to foster curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds; and inculcate skills such as design mindset, computational thinking, physical computing etc.

The FTL is an advanced version of Atal Tinkering Lab equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure, including all components of the Tinkering Lab to empower students to innovate using technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Augmented & Virtual Reality, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Robotics, 3D Printing, and Internet of Things. The labs support the Government’s focus on equipping youth with digital skills to succeed in the evolving landscape of technology and the global economy. The FTLs will be funded by Meta and Atal Innovation Mission will be the knowledge partner.

Through engaging workshops, interactive sessions, and project-based learning, students will be trained on using AI tools effectively, understanding generative AI & prompt engineering, exploring scientific concepts interactively using AR & VR, dealing with new age cyber security threats, amongst other things.  Students will also be given access to tools and resources from Meta, like LLaMA and other AI tools, to build innovative solutions.

Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, AIM, NITI Aayog said, “The collaboration between AIM, NITI Aayog, and Meta is a testament to harnessing the potential of our youth towards creating a pool of future-ready talent capable of driving technological advancements of India. These Labs will serve as hubs for innovation, providing students with the necessary tools to explore and contribute to the cutting-edge fields that will shape the future.”

“We are thrilled to partner with AIM, NITI Aayog, in setting up Frontier Technology Labs, through which youth will be provided with access to immersive technologies in India. By enabling students to build solutions using generative AI, AR, VR, and other technologies that are reshaping our world, we are fostering an ecosystem of innovation, creativity and problem-solving,” remarked Shivnath Thukral, Director and Head of Public Policy India, Meta.

The FTLs are a part of Meta’s Education to Entrepreneurship initiative, launched in September 2023, to seamlessly connect students, youth, workforce, and micro-entrepreneurs with futuristic technologies, taking digital skilling to the grassroots. The initiative aims to advance the government’s agenda of digital inclusion, skilling and growth.

Establishing these labs aligns with the vision of the Atal Innovation Mission to create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in schools across India, marking a significant step forward in building a skilled workforce to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future. Meanwhile, these labs will be managed by Meta’s partner 1M1B (One Million for One Billion). /BI/