Telengana sets to become AI hub, earmarks 200 start-ups
In a recent development in the New Year, the Telangana Government has announced pact with ITmajor Intel, Adobe, Tech Mahindra, Nvidia, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) and IITs of Khargapur and Hyderabad.
The tie-ups are primarily intended to integrate and improve research, building capacities and encouraging entrepreneurship and building ecosystem around AI. The Tata Consultancy Services has announced that it will make investments in the AI domain in Hyderabad.
This comes after it had announced 2020 as the Year of AII and its decision to make Hyderabad the hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI).
At a meet organised to announce the Year of 2020, Telangana Information Technology Minister K T Rama Rao has given a AI roadmap for the State. He said that the State government has set a target of attracting and enabling 200 Artificial Innovators and start-ups, leading to a valuation of $ 3-4 billion to build their base in Hyderabad.
He said the Government expected an additional contribution of 1 per cent to the State Gross Domestic Product from the initiatives powered by AI.
In order to invite top talent and entrepreneurs from across the world in the field of AI, to work on critical areas as determined by the industry, the government would make high-Performance AI Computing (HPAIC) Infrastructure to startups. This infrastructure would also be available to research firms and academic institutes, increasing scopes of AI-led business.
The State government, in association with Intel, IIIT Hyderabad and PHFI, will set up a Centre for Research in Applied AI (CriAA) to focus on diagnostics, proactive public health, autonomous navigation and supply chain automation. The centre would also conduct research on connected vehicles and multi-vehicle systems, security, privacy and datasets.
NVIDIA, a graphics computing solutions provider, will set up a High Performance AI Computing (HPAIC) Centre in Telangana. It will allow startups and other institutions to access the high-end computing infrastructure required to analyse data quickly in order to get real-time analytics.
NVDIA will also help in startup incubation and host AI training sessions to support women and minority groups, and organise hackathons.
IIT Kharagpur, which also signed an agreement with the State government, would set up an R&D Park and an AI-Centre of Excellence, focussing on advanced manufacturing, life-sciences and aerospace and defence.
(Source: The Hindu Businessline)
