Microsoft on Tuesday announced it has selected seven Indian grantees for its $50 million "AI for Earth" programme aimed at empowering people and organisations to solve environmental challenges through the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The seven recipients will receive access to Microsoft Azure Cloud and AI computing resources, in-depth education and technology trainings on these tools and additional support as their projects mature.

India now has the third largest number of "AI for Earth" grantees, after the United States and Canada. "From the Microsoft Research Lab in Bengaluru to the Digital India initiative at the corporate level, we have seen a focus on initiatives like wildlife conservation, water sustainability and agriculture for small-holder farmers, among others, which are of significant importance to a large population in a geography like India," said Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer, Microsoft Corporation and Lead for Microsoft AI for Earth.