India has been making giant strides towards expanding AI efforts to make a mark on the global world map. This drive has been spearheaded by Indian states, which are emerging as pivotal levers for AI proliferation. Several Indian states including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Assam, Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Telangana etc have been scaling up AI adoption to leverage the technology’s varied use cases across governance, public safety, education, crime prevention etc. Further, partnerships and collaborations with tech service providers have been on the rise to foster innovative AI ecosystems and implement customized AI-driven solutions tailored to each state’s unique needs and challenges. This decentralized yet coordinated effort is critical in building robust AI infrastructure and talent pool across India, so that AI’s benefits can be unlocked through impact creation beyond metropolitan hubs to reach grassroot levels.
A look at the key states actively engaged in AI efforts……..
Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat focus on developing CoEs and AI-centred cities
- The government of Gujarat launched three AI CoEs focused on sustainable cities, healthcare, and agriculture. The state government’s efforts were supported by the central government which set aside nearly INR 990 crore to support these centers.
- The state government also partnered with IBM to establish an AI cluster in GIFT City to utilize IBM's Watsonx AI platform to propel digital transformation in the banking industry. The partnership is aimed at supporting AI literacy initiatives and grants access to colleges for using resources like an AI sandbox.
- Further, the Andhra Pradesh government launched an initiative called ‘AI for Andhra Pradesh, Powered by Google,’ in partnership with Google. The initiative is aimed at incorporating AI into agriculture, healthcare, skill development, and sustainability. Further, the state is planning to develop Amaravati as an AI-centred metropolis.
Maharashtra and Telangana adapt a collaboration-led approach
- Maharashtra and Telangana have been following a collaboration-led approach to scale up AI usage in their states. Maharashtra inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Google to implement AI solutions in agriculture, healthcare and education. The state also collaborated with the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology to set up a CoE in AI, IoT, robotics, and Industry 4.0 to develop a proficient AI workforce.
- Meanwhile, the Telangana government signed an MoU with Meta to revolutionize e-governance through Gen AI. The MoU aims to enhance public service efficiency in the state over the next two years by utilizing Meta's most recent AI models, such as the Llama series.
- Further, the state government has signed an MoU with the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) to establish an AI-centric World Trade Center within the envisioned AI city in Hyderabad.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu strengthen policy initiatives
- The Kerala government has been undertaking policy initiatives to strengthen its gameplay in the AI domain. The state has laid out a roadmap for an AI ecosystem rich with incentives, support, and partnerships, all aligned with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. It plans to establish an AI cluster and an industrial park, preferably under a public-private partnership model that can harness both local and global expertise.
- Further, the Tamil Nadu government unveiled the Tamil Nadu Artificial Intelligence Mission (TNAIM), a five-year initiative that aims to establish the state as a prominent AI center in India. Two of TNAIM's primary goals are improving governance and driving social and economic prosperity by developing AI solutions. The mission, which will require an initial investment of INR 13.93 crore, is being led by the Tamil Nadu e-governance agency, in collaboration with domestic tech organizations.
Punjab, Haryana and Delhi scale up efforts to leverage AI solutions for public safety
- The state governments of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi are scaling up the usage of AI solutions for public safety. To this end, the government of Punjab is significantly advancing public safety through AI, primarily with its Punjab Safe City Authority (PSCA)'s integrated command, control and communication (IC3) centers. These utilize AI-powered facial recognition and ANPR from HD CCTV cameras for proactive crime detection and prevention, contributing to a reported 13% drop in crime-related emergency calls. Additionally, the Punjab Artificial Intelligence System (PAIS), a criminal tracking app assists police with facial recognition for criminal identification and tracking from a dynamic database, while AI-based automated driving tests are being introduced to enhance licensing transparency.
- Haryana is also rapidly adopting AI for public safety, notably by upgrading its 112 emergency response support system (ERSS) with AI-powered auto-dispatch to significantly reduce response times for police and medical emergencies. Furthermore, the state is leveraging AI to ensure integrity in examinations, implementing AI surveillance for the teacher eligibility test to detect and prevent cheating.
- Meanwhile the Delhi government is making substantial strides in AI for urban safety and law enforcement. The Dwarka Expressway now features India's first AI-powered traffic management system (ATMS) for real-time surveillance, violation detection, and dynamic traffic response. Further, the government’s 'Safe City' project will deploy AI-powered CCTVs with facial recognition to enhance women's safety by alerting police to signs of distress and identifying known criminals.
Karnataka, West Bengal and Assam integrate AI into education
- Karnataka seems to be betting big on applications of AI on education. To this end, Shiksha Co-pilot, a generative AI-powered digital assistant for teacher training launched by the state’s school education minister is transforming how teachers prepare, plan and deliver lessons. The state also unveiled a new global capability center (GCC) policy which aims to position it as the preeminent state providing AI-powered solutions for international businesses. Further, the state is planning to build an AI/ML administration unit.
- Further, West Bengal and Assam are also integrating AI into their education systems, aiming to enhance learning, efficiency, and future workforce readiness. In West Bengal, the focus is largely on higher education, with universities introducing AI and Data Science courses. The state also has skill development initiatives exploring AI and machine learning for students, alongside a general push for digital learning platforms that increasingly incorporate AI for personalized experiences.
- Assam is establishing the AI & Robotics Centre of Excellence (AAROCE) to foster research and skill development. The state is also utilizing AI-based applications for language learning and educational content delivery, particularly for tribal communities, and is working to integrate AI and coding into school curriculum with corresponding teacher training.
Tech companies powering state-led AI transformation
Tech companies have been actively supporting state governments in spearheading their AI adoption initiatives. These collaborations involve setting up AI centers of excellence, undertaking large-scale skilling initiatives to create an AI-ready workforce, integrating AI solutions in agriculture, education, healthcare and public safety verticals etc. These alliances represent how private sector expertise in AI can be leveraged for public service delivery, skill enhancement, and economic growth at the state level.
Key State Government and Tech Company Partnerships in the AI Space (Illustrative)
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State
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Partner Tech Companies
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Key Highlights of Partnerships
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Andhra Pradesh
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NVIDIA, Google, Meta, Microsoft, AWS
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Setting up of an AI university, granting AI certifications, using AI-powered Whatsapp for public service delivery, training students for AI, and AI training etc
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Uttar Pradesh
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iZil Technologies
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Rolling out an AI-powered crime mapping and predictive policing system
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Kerala
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ARM, NVIDIA
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Develop responsible AI software and research hubs
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Gujarat
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IBM
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Establish AI cluster in GIFT city using IBM’s Watsonx AI platform
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Telangana
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Meta
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Revolutionize e-governance through Gen AI
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Source: Secondary Research
Charting a collective growth path
At an overall level, the diverse and proactive AI initiatives undertaken by key Indian states present a plethora of learning opportunities, fostering a dynamic environment for collective growth. With states like Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh pioneering AI-centric cities and CoE, while Maharashtra and Telangana lead with collaboration-driven approaches, and Kerala and Tamil Nadu strengthening policy frameworks, a wealth of best practices emerges.
By openly sharing their successes, challenges, and lessons learned in policy formulation, technology implementation, talent development, and private sector partnerships, states can leverage these best practices and collectively accelerate AI proliferation, optimize resource allocation, and ensure that the benefits of decentralized intelligence are maximized across India.
