The Telangana state government has drawn up plans to set up India's first and largest Artificial Intelligence (AI) city on the outskirts of Hyderabad to house and promote the AI ecosystem and attract leading companies to set up AI centres there.
“Hyderabad is known as one of the top IT hubs in the country. We would like to promote it as the AI capital of India,” the state's IT minister Dadila Sridhar Babu said on Monday.
He said the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TGIIC) has identified 200 acres of land along the Outer Ring Road in Maheshwaram, Seriliganpally, Chevella and Ibrahimpatnam mandals for building the city.
“Similar proposals have been made in other states too, but they are yet to materialise. For instance, the Uttar Pradesh government also announced to set up an AI city in Lucknow in December 2023, but work is yet to commence. The land allotted was just 40 acres and it was expected to be completed by 2023. However, the proposed AI city in Hyderabad is five times larger than Lucknow and is expected to be completed by 2028, making it India's first AI city,” Sridhar Babu said.
The Telangana government plans to inaugurate the AI city with a foundation stone-laying ceremony in September. “As a precursor to the event, we will be hosting a Global AI Summit at the Hyderabad International Conference Centre on September 5 and 6,” he added.
According to the minister, the summit, themed “AI for All,” aims to explore how artificial intelligence can benefit and empower society. “The event will feature keynote speeches and inspiring sessions from global AI experts, tech leaders, policymakers and academics. More than 50 speakers will bring together 2,000 delegates representing various sectors to participate in the discussions,” the minister said.
The Minister said the discussions will delve into key aspects of AI, such as its potential to benefit society, the importance of safe AI practices, AI's role in driving paradigm shifts across industries, and how AI is pushing the boundaries of innovation.
Sridhar Babu will also be visiting the US from August 3 to 11 along with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and other dignitaries. “I will meet with the world's top IT companies and invite them to the Global AI Summit and also solicit investments for the AI city,” he said.
He said the proposed AI city in Hyderabad would bring on board stakeholders from all sectors where technology is needed, including agriculture, healthcare, education, law enforcement and mobility.
“Our government has engaged pioneers from industry, academia, startups and policy advisors to co-design the AI framework document to create an enabling environment for ideation, development and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence that will impact society,” Sridhar Babu added.
