Mumbai, June 13 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis began his visit to Canada on a positive note with MOUs being signed with Next AI and FRQNT for use of artificial intelligence in Farming and assistance in Startups, where the State will soon have artificial intelligence clusters, according to official reports.
The Maharashtra delegation led by the Chief Minister signed an MoU with companies in Canada’s Quebec province for increasing use of artificial intelligence in agriculture technology, soil management and pest control with assistance from companies like IVADO, NEXT AI and FRQNT working in the field of artificial intelligence. Another MoU was signed with Dr Sheldon, CEO of Next A I, an artificial intelligence company which will assist the Maharashtra Government for 50 startups in the state.
The Maharashtra delegation also held extensive talks about setting up of artificial clusters with Giles Savard, CEO of Institute of Data Velorization (IVADO) of Quebec in Montreal, where around 1,000 organizations in the field of artificial intelligence sector are involved in largescale research through IVADO.
Addressing a seminar organised by the International Economic Forum of the Americas on administration and artificial intelligence, Chief Minister Fadnavis described the fear over loss of job opportunities due to artificial intelligence as “totally unfounded” and noted that, on the contrary, greater employment opportunities would be generated from use of Artificial Intelligence, besides the gap between rich and poor being bridged through resolution of many problems. Quebec deputy Prime Minister Dominic Angled, YUBESOFT Vice-President of Corporate Affairs Francis Baitlet and CEO of Google Canada Mary Jose Lamoth were present on the occasion.
“Where information is contradictory, artificial intelligence is useful providing services, especially in the rural sector and to the common people as there is need of technology in the era of climate change and technology. Maharashtra and rest of India is marching fast on the path of development in which Canadian industry groups should also contribute by investing in the state, where a third Mumbai is emerging due to various projects connecting Mumbai and New Mumbai ,” Fadnavis said at the felicitation program in Quebec City organised by the Canada-India Business Council (CIBC), where Indian High Commissioner to Canada Vikas Swarup, Counsel General of Canada in Mumbai Jorden Rives, and Indian investors in Canada were also present.
Later, in an interview by Chairman and CEO of Canadian Chamber of Commerce Perin Betti during a conference organised by International Economic Forum of the Americas at Montreal on “Global Development in Competitive Era,” the Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative highlighted many states in India competing with each other while marching on the path of development. “All the states are attracting foreign investment and Maharashtra is the “powerhouse” of India with 47% share in foreign investment in India, and 51% of total basic facility projects being in Maharashtra. We are trying to make Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy by 2025 as the Prime Minister has envisioned making India a five trillion-dollar economy in which Maharashtra will play an important role,” he emphasized.
