Mon Sep 09 08:23:43 UTC 2024: ## Telangana Unveils Ambitious AI Strategy to Become ‘AI-Powered’ State

**Hyderabad, India:** The Telangana government has unveiled a comprehensive Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategy with six key pillars, aiming to transform the state into an AI hub. The plan, revealed at the AI Global Summit on Thursday, outlines initiatives ranging from policy implementation and data localization to promoting AI education and fostering innovation.

The centerpiece of the strategy is the establishment of an **AI Advisory Council**, acting as the “NITI Aayog for AI in Telangana”. This council, comprising diverse stakeholders, will guide research, policy, investment, talent development, and ethical AI adoption.

**Key Components of the Strategy:**

* **AI Research & Collaboration Network:** This network will promote university-industry partnerships, leveraging MoUs with leading academic institutions and industry leaders to drive AI research and development.
* **Emerging Technologies Wing:** This wing will ensure the strategy’s implementation across government departments and agencies. It will spearhead efforts to improve data readiness and workforce skills, as well as integrating AI into daily government functions.
* **AI in Governance:** The strategy outlines the use of AI to enhance service delivery, including data-driven decision-making, service automation, and personalized services. Specific use cases include disease screening, health helplines, educational modules, and traffic management.
* **Data Localization and Accessibility:** The government will promote the development of AI models tailored to Telangana’s unique language and culture, including Telugu Language Models (LLMs) and domain-specific statistical language models (SLMs). It will also incentivize data annotation centers and launch a campaign to involve citizens in generating high-quality datasets.
* **Compute Capacity and Startup Support:** The government will provide subsidized access to compute capacity for government departments and startups, facilitating the development of socially conscious AI solutions. It will also launch “Unified AI Services” to offer a centralized platform for AI startups, including shared services, a public directory, and a unique ID system.
* **AI Education and Workforce Development:** Telangana aims to train 5 lakh professionals in AI specializations by 2027. This includes introducing AI curriculum in schools, creating an integrated learning platform, and launching an “AI for All” campaign to provide AI learning modules to citizens.
* **AI City:** The government plans to develop a 200-acre AI City in Hyderabad, attracting multinational corporations, research institutions, and startups. This city will provide incentives, infrastructure, and connectivity to foster innovation.

**Impact and Significance:**

This comprehensive strategy positions Telangana as a frontrunner in AI adoption in India. It aims to create a vibrant AI ecosystem by fostering research, nurturing talent, promoting ethical AI development, and leveraging AI for public good. By prioritizing data localization, accessibility, and education, the government seeks to ensure inclusive and responsible AI development, making Telangana a model for AI-powered progress.

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