AI-LEAP launches at IIHM: India's first national AI literacy movement
AI is moving faster than most classrooms. On 28 November 2025 at IIHM Global Campus, Kolkata, leaders from government tech bodies, global AI experts, top academics, industry heads, and students gathered to launch AI-LEAP - the National AI Literacy Education Acceleration Programme - and India's first AI-LEAP Manifesto on AI in education.
The goal is simple and bold: teach AI skills at scale while keeping ethics and human judgment at the center. For hospitality and events professionals, this is more than good news - it's a signal that the next wave of talent will be fluent in both service and smart tools.
Why this matters for hospitality and events
Great service is still human. AI helps you deliver it with less guesswork and more consistency. AI-LEAP points to a future where graduates arrive ready to work with AI responsibly - from guest experience to back-of-house efficiency.
- Personalization with consent: tailor offers and itineraries based on stated preferences, not intrusive tracking.
- Operations: forecast demand, reduce waste, and optimize staffing without losing the human touch at the front desk or on the event floor.
- Training: accelerate onboarding and refreshers with AI assistants that answer SOP questions in seconds.
- Content and proposals: draft event briefs, menus, and run sheets faster, then refine with your expertise.
Inside the AI-LEAP Manifesto
The Manifesto is India's first unified plan to bring AI literacy into the school system. Core idea: technology should amplify the qualities that make us human - judgment, empathy, creativity - not erase them.
- A national scheme for fair AI literacy grounded in ethics, justice, transparency, and human accountability - from AI basics to real-world application.
- A three-year plan to scale AI education across India.
- An AI pupil pledge to set clear norms for responsible use.
This isn't a white paper for the shelf. It's a practical blueprint for classrooms - and eventually, your workforce.
Leadership that pushes the conversation forward
Dr. Suborno Bose, IIHM Chairman, called AI-LEAP "a collective leap of faith" for young minds. He urged India to treat AI like a new alphabet - the country that teaches it best will write the future.
Shri Sutirtha Bhattacharya, IAS (Retd.), Chairman, WEBEL, emphasized the role of ethics in every classroom, describing the Manifesto as "a guardrail for students as they step into adulthood." His message was clear: progress in AI should improve life for the common citizen.
Adding a hospitality lens, Tanumoy Ghosh, Head of GenAI at Hyatt International, reminded the room that "guests tell stories when they dream, not keywords." That line captures the core of service: data helps, stories win.
A milestone: India's first Education GPT
Indismart Digital unveiled Competitive Prep GPT - an AI built for school learners preparing for competitive exams. Attendees accessed the AI-LEAP Manifesto instantly via QR code, underlining accessibility and scale.
For our sector, there's a clear signal: domain-specific AI works. IIHM has already proven it with NamAIste - IIHM HospitalityGPT - showing how custom tools can support training, service design, and daily operations.
IIHM's path to AI leadership
- NamAIste - IIHM HospitalityGPT, the first AI model built for hospitality education.
- 25+ custom GPTs for training, learning, and skill building.
- AI boot camps and school workshops across regions.
- A growing community of student and teacher users - with a clear philosophy: don't just use AI; question it and shape it.
What hospitality and event teams can do now
- Set your AI guardrails: define approved tools, data boundaries, and escalation paths. If you need a reference point, see UNESCO's guidance on generative AI in education for ethics and safety principles here.
- Pilot a custom GPT: start with one use case - SOP Q&A, proposal drafting, or kitchen prep planning. If you're exploring options, review practical resources on building and using custom GPTs here.
- Run short, role-specific training: 60-90 minutes per team with real tasks and measurable outcomes (errors reduced, time saved, guest scores up).
- Protect guest trust: get consent for personalization, log prompts that touch sensitive info, and keep a human in the loop for final decisions.
- Create an AI skills ladder: front-of-house basics, operations workflows, analytics for managers - with clear progression and recognition.
What's next for AI-LEAP
AI-LEAP is moving into its build phase with planned collaborations across districts, education systems, CSR groups, and technology organizations. The target: reach 250,000 students by 2027 and develop a generation that can work with AI - ethically and confidently.
As Dr. Bose said, "We are not merely reacting to the AI era. We are the ones deciding it. AI for All. AI with Values. AI by India."
If you want structured learning
Explore practical AI courses organized by job roles - helpful for hotel, restaurant, and events teams building skills without fluff: Courses by Job.
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