Telangana Inks Eight MoUs With Tech Giants To Work On AI, ML

Impressed with the success of private entities, which are leveraging new-age technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), among others, the Telangana government inked eight memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with tech companies to bring innovation-based socio-economic changes in the state.

These MoUs, which are signed with companies such as Intel, Nvidia, Hexagon, Adobe, among others, will help the Telangana government to launch pilot projects based on AI. During the event, Telangana’s IT minister, KT Rama Rao said that the government has declared 2020 as the ‘Year of AI’.

Highlighting that AI can help the government to address complex challenges, Rao said that AI holds significance as it has the potential to transform citizens’ lives. “The government’s decision to incorporate AI will set in motion initiatives that will potentially make the next decade Telangana’s decade of AI,” Rao was quoted as saying by Livemint.

With the help of deep tech in government’s initiatives, the Telangana government also aims to transform public service delivery and governance, Rao added. The minister further claimed that Telangana is the leader for procuring AI-related services in the world. “Telangana government’s approach towards adopting newage technology is already prompting top talent and innovators to shift their base to Hyderabad,” Rao added.

In addition to AI, Rao said that the state government has also identified other emerging technologies — blockchain, cloud, internet of things, and robotics, among others, to help Telangana in delivering public services efficiently. Additionally, in order to have a clear roadmap on how it is going to leverage these technologies, the state government has also formulated frameworks for blockchain, cybersecurity, etc.

In India, the Telangana government has been one of the few states which have shown signs to adopt new-age technologies in their policies. Prior to signing these MoUs, Rao has previously revealed that the government is planning to build IMAGE (Innovation in animation, Multimedia, Gaming, and Entertainment) tower. The IMAGE project, which which is expected to complete by 2021, would be spread over 16 lakh square feet, is expected to help global giants to access gaming talent, resource and technology in one place.

Moreover, for promoting the startup ecosystem in the state, the Telangana government, in September 2019, had partnered with India’s largest incubator, T-Hub, for a three-month funding acceleration program called T-Angel.