We train sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduates with basic programming knowledge to turn project ideas into viable, deployed products, while keeping responsible computing and explainable AI at the core. Fellows work with organizations in technology, policy, and government across journalism, fact-checking, digital literacy, and healthcare.
Every team built a working MVP, validated with real users, and published a public deck. Four of the seven 2024 teams received paid pilot offers from corporate clients.
Demystifying codebases with AI
Onboarding new developers onto complicated codebases through natural-language queries with precise contextual responses. Live at engraph.dev; validated with 10+ working professionals from fresher devs through CTOs/CEOs.
Uncovering bias in NLP models
A bias-detection tool that lets engineers assess NLP models for biases specific to their use cases. Implements Counterfactual Sentence Testing and the Sentence Encoder Association Test, plus custom-dataset creation for targeted evaluation.
A personal finance chatbot
Only 16.7% of Indian students understand basic finance. FinSage is a coach tailored to students, real-time spending insights, savings forecasts, budget tracking, daily tips and personalized guidance, building skills they carry long after graduation.
Unmasking fake reviews on the marketplace
Chrome extension that detects and analyzes fake reviews on e-commerce platforms in real time using machine learning, deep learning, and NLP, and quantifies their impact by correlating with product metrics.
AI playground for diagnostic practice
WhatsApp-based AI platform that bridges theory and clinical practice for physiotherapy students. Gamified diagnostic scenarios with AI patient personas drawn from real-life cases. Piloting with 100+ students at a Mumbai college; 200+ simulated patient interactions to date.
Enhancing verbal communication with AI
Real-time feedback and personalized guidance for confident communication: real-time analysis, personalized learning modules, grammatical feedback, tone and delivery assessment, pace and filler-word detection, and scenario-based learning.
Resident Fellows were students enrolled in SVKM's educational institutions until June 2024. They received curricular credit for pursuing elective projects on responsible computing, with topics selected jointly by Fellows and professors. The fellowship structure included in-person workshops and group projects complementing their studies on responsible computing and online safety.
Non-Resident Fellows included undergraduate students from Mumbai-area and pan-India institutions. They received mentorship for research projects on responsible computing, with topics selected independently under guidance. The fellowships involved in-person workshops and remote collaborations, focusing on responsible computing and online safety.
Get a chance to work with real data from social media platforms and commodity analytics tools like Google Analytics to estimate the impact of information operations and identify networks that cause online harm.
Exceptional candidates may be offered paid research or engineering internships, with potential for full-time positions at SimPPL.
The fellowship program allows candidates to present their SimPPL projects for potential academic credit recognition at their educational institutions.
Gain exclusive access to talks and sessions led by AI/ML experts and professionals in online trust and safety. Career-building insights directly from industry insiders.
“Being a part of SimPPL allowed me to work on high-impact projects with industry professionals and inspiring mentors. This refined both my technical and interpersonal skills. The SimPPL community's support and insights fostered my personal growth and professional connections.”
“Being a part of SimPPL allowed me to explore a research-oriented career. I've gained valuable insights into the workflow of research organizations and team collaboration, which I plan to apply to my future projects.”
“The mentorship and the opportunity to work on real-world projects provided invaluable experience and a fresh approach to problem-solving. SimPPL connected me with inspiring professionals, which enriched my learning and helped me grow.”
“The fellowship enhanced my technical skills and boosted my confidence in collaborative environments through hands-on data analysis. The mentorship from industry experts and real-world projects allowed me to apply my knowledge practically.”
“Being a part of the SimPPL community allowed me to publish at prestigious venues like NeurIPS, AAAI, ICWSM, and the Trust & Safety Research Conference at Stanford, and to mentor my peers, which built my own confidence.”
“Working at SimPPL significantly enhanced my technical and leadership skills while allowing me to collaborate with industry professionals. Leading the technical development at Sakhi and receiving guidance from mentors like Swapneel and Raghav made this experience both rewarding and enriching.”
“My experience greatly improved my social skills and boosted my confidence in speaking fluent English, which is vital for communication here. A key moment was when I froze during a presentation due to anxiety; after gathering myself, I spoke much more effectively.”
“My time at SimPPL as a Research Engineer was pivotal in shaping my career. I gained hands-on experience in machine learning and customer behavior analytics, tackling real-world challenges. Mentorship from Dhara and Swapneel significantly enhanced my technical skills.”
“SimPPL offered valuable insights into professional organization dynamics and sharpened my ability to draft research papers for top-tier journals. Being part of this community connected me with mentors and peers who share my research passion.”
Each capstone team wrote up their year, including the pivots and the things they would do differently. Read them in their own voice.
Two recent examples of the curriculum and the team being invited into partner institutions. The model is portable; the through-line is responsible AI taught alongside real product development.
NextGenAI is the latest of several student-led programs we've started since 2017. Each one fed the next.
If you're a student or a working professional who wants to learn to build responsible AI products, or you'd like to bring the program to your institution or company, drop us a note. We're happy to expand NextGenAI through partnerships, anywhere in the world.
