AI for civil servants: Why OpenAI has tied up with Karmayogi Bharat- Moneycontrol.com

More than 1.7 crore government employees across the Central government, State governments and Union Territories have registered on iGOT Karmayogi. This means the initiative could give a large number of India's public-sector workers access to AI training.

Karmayogi Bharat and OpenAI have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand artificial intelligence (AI) training for India's government employees. Under the agreement, approved learning materials from OpenAI Academy will be added to the government's iGOT Karmayogi online learning platform.

The partnership aims to help government employees develop practical AI skills, learn how to use the technology responsibly and understand how AI tools can support their daily administrative work and improve public services.

More than 1.7 crore government employees across the Central government, State governments and Union Territories have registered on iGOT Karmayogi. This means the initiative could give a large number of India's public-sector workers access to AI training.

What is the Karmayogi Bharat-OpenAI partnership?

The agreement will allow approved educational materials from OpenAI Academy to be added to iGOT Karmayogi. This is the government's online learning platform, which helps civil servants build their skills and knowledge.

Karmayogi Bharat is a non-profit organisation fully owned by the government. It was set up as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). It helps carry out Mission Karmayogi, a government initiative to build a skilled, well-trained and future-ready civil service.

Under the MoU, OpenAI will provide approved OpenAI Academy learning materials for use on the platform. Karmayogi Bharat will help government employees access these materials, encourage them to take part and work with the relevant government departments to put the agreement into action.

What will government employees learn?

The AI learning materials are designed to help eligible government employees develop practical skills and learn how to use AI responsibly in their daily work.

The courses will focus on using AI at work, improving professional skills and adopting new technologies in government operations. The wider goal is to help civil servants understand how AI can be used for administrative tasks and services provided directly to citizens.

The partnership also supports the government's focus on using technology to promote development for everyone, put citizens at the centre of governance and improve public welfare.

However, the organisations have not shared details of the specific courses, the eligibility rules beyond registration on the platform, or when the programme will begin.

Who will be able to access the OpenAI Academy resources?

Eligible government employees who have registered on iGOT Karmayogi will be able to access the approved OpenAI Academy learning materials through the platform.

The initiative is aimed at employees of the Central and State governments. The platform also covers government personnel in Union Territories.

The platform is designed to let people learn online at any time and on different devices. This allows government employees to improve their skills while continuing to carry out their official duties.

Why is the partnership significant?

The partnership brings AI training into an existing government learning system instead of setting up a separate platform. Since more than 1.7 crore government employees have registered on iGOT Karmayogi, the platform could help expand AI learning across India's public administration.

Chhavi Bhardwaj, CEO of Karmayogi Bharat, said the partnership would help government employees learn to use AI with confidence and responsibility and turn their new skills into better results for the public.

Pragya Misra, Head of Strategy and Government Affairs at OpenAI India, said India's AI goals would depend not just on access to the technology but also on whether people and institutions could use it effectively.

The partnership is expected to encourage the responsible use of AI in everyday government work, professional training and services designed around citizens' needs. Its impact will depend on how the learning materials are introduced and how well government employees can use what they learn in their jobs.

The organisations have not shared the financial details of the agreement or said when the OpenAI Academy learning materials will become available on iGOT Karmayogi.