The centre aims to pursue research in the domains of Ethical and Responsible AI and become the standard body in the country to recommend guidelines and policies

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) is teaming up with Roche Diagnostics International, Switzerland, to collaborate in Research and Development (R&D).

Roche is joining CeRAI as a Gold Consortium Member with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two organisations.

CeRAI and Roche a global leader in in-vitro diagnostics and developer of digital health solutions, will engage in collaborative research activities in Analytics/ AI solutions and services for IVD diagnostics.

Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) is a virtual interdisciplinary research centre at IIT Madras. It envisions being a premier research centre for both fundamental and applied research in Responsible AI with immediate impact in deploying AI systems in the Indian ecosystem. The centre aims to pursue research in the domains of Ethical and Responsible AI and become the standard body in the country to recommend guidelines and policies to make deployable AI models/ systems more accountable, explainable and responsible.

ProfManu Santhanam, Dean (Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research), IIT Madras, said, “With IIT Madras, there is a lot of emphasis on scaling up the efforts we do in our laboratory and our research. A lot of the projects that you see today have far-reaching implications. We are not confined to the exercise inside labs. We do a lot more concerning engaging with the industry and taking our research to the frontlines. Because of this, our number of patents and innovations that are coming out of IIT Madras, the way that they have been deployed, and the technology is being transferred, is increasing day by day.”

Speaking on ‘Responsible AI’, Prof B Ravindran, Head, Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI), IIT Madras, said, “Responsible development and deployment of AI systems require close interaction between AI scientists and domain experts. Roche recognizses this and has an active research program on ethical AI and data management. We look forward to working closely with their programme in building more robust and ethical systems for AI in healthcare.”

Manu Dev, Chapter Lead for IVD Analytics product domain, Roche Information Solutions (RIS) said, “At Roche, we believe in the power of data. It helps healthcare providers and patients make informed decisions. The framework agreement with IIT Madras will enable us to collaborate on important research activities related to Analytics and AI in digital health solutions for in-vitro diagnostics. Sharing knowledge and expertise helps us get closer to a better healthcare system for all.”

Talking about AI Ethics, Adarsh Srivastava from Data, Analytics and Research function in RIS stated, “AI ethics is critical to ensure patient safety, fairness, and transparency in medical decision-making. With the rapid adoption of AI in diagnostics and patient care, ethical considerations help mitigate biases, enhance trust, and align AI systems with human values. Collaboration of Roche with The Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) at IIT Madras will play a vital role by driving research, developing ethical frameworks, and collaborating with academia to ensure AI innovations in healthcare remain responsible, equitable, and beneficial for all.”