Bengaluru: India is expected to overtake the US as the largest developer community on GitHub by 2027, Microsoft Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said during his address to 1,100 developers and technology leaders at the Microsoft AI Tour in Bengaluru on Thursday.
“The next generation of AI is changing how and what developers build everywhere, including in India,” said Nadella. “It’s fantastic to see how India’s developer community is applying our technology and tools to build the future for India and the world.”
Nadella said Microsoft would expand its “Code; Without Barriers” program to India this month, as the company aims to democratize access to tech skills nationwide.
As part of the program, Microsoft will provide skilling and certification to 75,000 women developers in India in 2024. The program was launched in 2021 across nine Asia Pacific (APAC) countries to help close the gender gap in the region’s fast-growing cloud, artificial intelligence, and digital technology sectors.
On Wednesday, Nadella announced Microsoft’s new skilling investment in India to empower people and organizations to thrive in the AI era. The investment will see Microsoft provide 2 million people in India with AI skilling opportunities by 2025 through its ADVANTA(I)GE INDIA initiative.
In January this year, Microsoft helped 100,000 developers to advance their careers in AI through its “AI Odyssey” initiative. The initiative allowed participants to take the first step towards becoming a subject expert in AI by learning new skills and earning Microsoft credentials. Microsoft is expanding the AI Odyssey program to other Asian countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia, Korea, China, Vietnam, and Thailand, after receiving a positive response from India.
