Karnataka looks to deepen AI ecosystem with industry partnership, focus on youth and rural education
Bengaluru, July 24
Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said the government aims to take artificial intelligence education to rural students and build long-term industry partnerships to strengthen the state's AI ecosystem, while industry leaders backed the state's vision to position Bengaluru at the forefront of AI innovation.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a CEOs' meeting ahead of the Bengaluru Tech Summit, Shivakumar said the government's next priority is to expand AI education beyond cities and ensure rural students also benefit from emerging technologies.
"We want to take AI to our children and we want to take it to the rural children. That is why I have requested all of them to invest in the rural schools, not in the towns. So, we want a curriculum also, we will be planning for that," he said.
He also urged industry leaders to participate in the Bengaluru Tech Summit later this year, saying the event would help showcase Karnataka's technology ecosystem globally. Shivakumar said the government is ready to work with industry and welcomed greater collaboration to strengthen the state's technology leadership.
Speaking exclusively to ANI on the sidelines of the event, Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said Bengaluru continues to be India's technology hub and is well placed to lead the country's AI growth.
She said Bengaluru has emerged as the country's AI capital and praised the Karnataka government's efforts to create an enabling AI ecosystem.
"Bangalore is certainly the AI capital of the country. And I think what we want to do with AI, the way we are going about creating the architecture and the ecosystem, is really commendable," Mazumdar-Shaw told ANI.
Highlighting AI's long-term potential, she said, "It's all about educating our youth with AI, creating jobs based on AI and it is the future of any country."
Earlier in the day, addressing CEOs at a breakfast meeting, Shivakumar invited companies to partner in Karnataka's next phase of growth. Discussing Karnataka's economic performance, the Chief Minister said software exports had crossed INR 4.36 lakh crore and are expected to exceed INR 5.5 lakh crore this year.
He announced plans to establish an AI University with industry participation, expand world-class technology infrastructure beyond Bengaluru, and roll out new policies to strengthen the state's technology ecosystem.
The Chief Minister also outlined a vision to introduce AI education to students from Class 6 onwards and promote balanced technology-led growth across Karnataka.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Great initiative but I'm skeptical about execution. Our government has a habit of making big announcements but ground reality is different. Rural schools lack basic computer labs and internet connectivity. Will they address those first? 🤔
As a teacher in a rural school near Chitradurga, this gives me hope. Our students are bright but don't get exposure to these technologies. If CM Sir really follows through, it could change many lives. But please involve local teachers in curriculum design too.
Introducing AI from Class 6 is a brilliant move! Kids today are digital natives anyway. This will prepare them for future jobs. Also glad to see Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw endorsing this - Biocon is a Karnataka pride 🎉
If they genuinely invest in rural education and create an AI University with industry partnerships, Karnataka could become a global model. But I hope the funds don't get diverted elsewhere. The proof will be in the implementation - let's keep watch on this one.
Good idea but why always focus on Bengaluru? What about other cities like Mysuru, Hubli, Mangaluru? We have talent across the state. Hope the "balanced growth" they mention means real decentralization of tech infrastructure.
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