Lucknow: Over 50 IAS officers and senior executives from across the country participated in the AI Transformation Conference 2026 held in Lucknow on Friday.During the conference, a high-level capacity building workshop on “AI-enabled public administrators: competencies for a new era of governance” was held. The session was chaired by Subhi Chaturvedi, founder of NIHIT and Sherpa of Working Group 7 of the Indo-US CEO Forum.Speaking at the gathering, Chaturvedi said UP, especially Lucknow, is emerging as one of the most promising hubs for AI innovation in India.He highlighted that the expansion of deep technology operations by companies such as InMobi is helping to build a strong ecosystem of governance, research, talent, digital infrastructure and entrepreneurship in the state.Chaturvedi emphasized the importance of AI that is ethical, accountable, accessible and human-centric. She said a future of inclusive growth and reliable technology can only be achieved through safe and human-friendly AI systems.The conference essentially focused on the UP government’s ambitious AI policy and technology vision. Recently, the state approved India’s first AI City project estimated at Rs 368 crore in Vrindavan Yojana area of Lucknow. Additionally, a dedicated allocation of Rs 225 million has been allocated for the UP AI Mission.Manoj Kumar Singh, CEO of the National Transformation Commission, said Uttar Pradesh is making steady progress towards becoming a national model for AI-driven governance.He added that AI-driven reforms will significantly contribute to the state’s goal of becoming a $1 trillion economy.Chief Secretary, IT and Electronics Department Alok Kumar said the government is fully committed to building a robust infrastructure for emerging technologies such as AI, quantum computing and deep technology innovations.He pointed out that the latest state budget includes special provisions for UP AI Mission, AI City and other emerging technology initiatives.Discussions during the conference covered a wide range of topics including AI ecosystem, cybersecurity, digital governance, and the role of AI in MSMEs, startups, and citizen-centric services.
