IIT Kharagpur to Establish India’s First Physical AI School

IIT Kharagpur to Establish India’s First Physical AI School

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur will establish India’s first dedicated academic school focused on Physical Artificial Intelligence (AI) with an investment of ₹35 crore. The school, named the Benjamin Gupta School of Physical AI, will begin operations in the upcoming academic session.

Funding and Partnership

The project’s foundation will be laid through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IIT Kharagpur, alumnus and philanthropist Vinod Gupta, and the IITKGP Foundation USA. The school will receive a contribution of ₹12.5 crore from the Vinod Gupta family and ₹10 crore from an anonymous alumnus. IIT Kharagpur will contribute the remaining funds.

What is Physical AI?

Physical AI differs from conventional AI, which primarily uses data, algorithms, and digital systems. This new school will focus on creating intelligent systems that can understand and interact with the physical world. It combines AI with scientific principles, real-world sensing, and intelligent control.

Areas of Focus

The Benjamin Gupta School of Physical AI will explore areas including physics-informed machine learning, scientific AI, digital twins, intelligent robotics, autonomous systems, advanced sensing, and AI-based experimentation. A key goal is to develop reliable, explainable, and responsible AI systems, particularly for applications requiring accuracy and safety.

Academic Programs

Academic programs will cater to students, researchers, and working professionals from engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, and medicine. The programs will emphasize the integration of domain knowledge with modern AI skills. According to an institute statement, programs are expected to begin in the upcoming academic session, subject to necessary approvals.

Collaboration and Partnerships

IIT Kharagpur plans to partner with industry, healthcare institutions, research laboratories, startups, and international partners to promote research, technology development, and professional reskilling in Physical AI. Director Suman Chakraborty stated the school aims to move AI beyond being a “black-box” technology by combining algorithmic capabilities with fundamental scientific and domain-specific knowledge.

Source: The Indian Express. Featured image credit: The Indian Express.