Billionaire Ambani taps Google, Meta to build India’s AI backbone

Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries and India's wealthiest individual, has announced a groundbreaking initiative aimed at establishing a robust AI infrastructure in India. During the company's 48th annual general meeting, he introduced Reliance Intelligence, a new subsidiary focused on creating a national-scale AI framework that will provide enterprise tools and services across various sectors. This strategic move seeks to position India competitively in the global AI landscape, which has been dominated by the United States and China. Ambani stated, "Reliance Intelligence will serve as a hub for top-tier researchers, engineers, designers, and product creators, merging research agility with engineering precision to transform ideas into practical innovations and applications, benefitting both India and the global community." To initiate this venture, Reliance has forged a partnership with Google Cloud to develop a dedicated AI cloud infrastructure in India. The first step involves establishing a significant data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat. This dedicated cloud region will empower Reliance to deliver AI-centric services to businesses of all sizes, leveraging Jio’s extensive network and energy resources to facilitate large-scale deployments, as noted in a joint statement from both companies. Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed excitement over the collaboration, emphasizing the innovative potential of their partnership. "As Reliance’s largest public cloud partner, we are not only supporting the company's essential operations but also collaborating on cutting-edge AI projects," he shared in a virtual message during the AGM. In addition, Reliance has announced a joint venture with Meta that aims to develop and expand enterprise AI solutions for clients in India and select international markets. This collaboration involves a combined investment of ₹8.55 billion (approximately $100 million), with Reliance and Meta holding a 70:30 ownership split. The partnership will leverage Meta’s Llama-based enterprise AI platform-as-a-service, enabling businesses to tailor, deploy, and manage generative AI models across various applications, including sales, marketing, and customer service. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the practical implications of their technology, stating, "Through this joint venture, we’re putting Meta’s Llama models into real-world use." This agreement awaits standard regulatory approvals and is anticipated to conclude by the fourth quarter of 2025. Ambani also shared ambitions for Reliance to extend its flagship subsidiary, Jio Platforms, into international markets. Furthermore, he announced plans for Jio to pursue an initial public offering in the first half of 2026, following earlier delays. Speculation is also growing around a potential partnership with OpenAI, which recently launched an affordable ChatGPT subscription in India and is set to open an office in New Delhi. Details of this collaboration might be revealed during Sam Altman's forthcoming visit to India. Earlier this year, rival telecom operator Bharti Airtel partnered with Perplexity to provide over 360 million subscribers with access to Perplexity Pro for a year. Reliance continues to enhance its technological footprint, having previously joined forces with Microsoft for Azure cloud services and offering JioAICloud, a consumer service with 100GB of free storage that has attracted 40 million users. At the AGM, Reliance also showcased its AI-powered smart glasses, JioFrames, and announced the integration of AI features into its streaming service, JioHotstar, which has already garnered 600 million users and 300 million paying subscribers. New AI functionalities include a voice assistant named “Riya” and advanced content translation capabilities for Indian languages using AI technology.