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Google Cloud is partnering with Apollo Hospitals to help build a clinical intelligence platform, which the company says can be used to help with patient care and diagnosis with the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. In addition, to this, Google’s Cloud business has continued to engage in many private and public sector partnerships over the past year.
Indianexpress.com spoke with Bikram Singh Bedi, Managing Director, Google Cloud, India Region, on what this announcement entails and the future of Google Cloud in the country. Below is an edited excerpt of the interview.
On Google Cloud’s partnership with hospitals in India
If you look at healthcare per se, the adoption of technology has happened. Just look at your X-rays and CT scans, technological advancements are happening. But if you look at AI/ML technologies, those adoptions are still at a nascent stage. We are partnering with major healthcare providers in India to see how we can make healthcare equitable and accessible.
For instance, with Apollo Hospitals, we are building out the clinical intelligence engine, which allows doctors to use AI/ML technologies for better diagnosis, not just for common problems, but even for rare diseases. Through the Google Analytics platform, we are managing data for about 14 million patients who understand them better and to serve them. The ecosystem is widening, insights are all data-driven.
Similarly, with Manipal Hospitals, we have a great relationship with them. They are using our AI/ML models to essentially see how healthcare can be provided remotely obligations.
On Google Cloud’s work in other industries in India
Over the last few years, we have been working very closely with different market leaders in the traditional industry space, financial services, and the startup ecosystem. We are working with various customers like HDFC Bank, HDFC, Ergo, and Jio in terms of helping them on the 5G side. We are also working with Airtel. We are working very closely in the manufacturing space with Mahindra as well. We have spent a lot of time working with industry leaders to help them accelerate their digital transformations to solve real-world complex business challenges.
On whether he sees the post-Covid digital acceleration continuing
So if you look at Covid, there was a step change. What Covid did to the world in terms of digital acceleration is unique. I think the path that most businesses have set themselves on given that acceleration, they are all moving forward.
If you talk to banks, they are still talking about how can we make the consumer experience better on payments as they continue to spike. If you talk to insurance companies, they are still talking about how they can make a customer get their insurance with a better experience, and whether they can acquire more customers digitally at lower costs. Similarly, if you talk to a healthcare provider, they want to know how to build a digital healthcare ecosystem that can allow healthcare to be more equitable and accessible.
The objectives haven’t changed. What Covid did was open up a new path. People realise that with the size and scale that you see in India, digital is going to be a key part of any business.
On Google Cloud’s role in the public sector and compliance with Indian regulations
The first thing that we did was we ensured that all our infrastructure in this country is certified by MeiTY [Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology]. We have two regions, one in Mumbai and one in Delhi. We are now certified to run public sector workloads.
As far as the public sector is concerned, we are very focused on that space. We are working with some of the key ministries to try and see how we can use Google Cloud to help with better citizen services. For reasons of confidentiality, I won’t get into details. But we have worked with the Tamil Nadu government on a project on health. With the Pune Municipal Corporation, we have been working with them on traffic management using AI and ML technologies. We will continue to work with the regulators to help them understand our architecture and solution better.
On the Cloud business expectation in India
India is an accelerating market for Google Cloud. The last couple of years has been good for Google Cloud in India. We have grown the business and have a large team now. These are big investments that we have made. Frankly, a lot of feedback from Indian customers is going to headquarters to ensure that products are built accordingly.
