BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to make knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) mandatory for officers in view of its increasing use in administrative matters and also to make interface with the citizens easier.
Chief secretary Manoj Ahuja on Tuesday asked all the senior officers to gain working knowledge in AI through free online courses available on various platforms to build a future-ready, digitally-efficient administrative workforce.
In a letter to additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, secretaries of different departments and district collectors, the chief secretary said this initiative is in alignment with the state government’s broader goal of making work of different government departments easier.
The chief secretary said it is increasingly evident that new innovations such as AI will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of governance. AI has the potential to bring transformative changes in how government functions. It will make it for the citizens to approach the administration, usher in intelligent grievance redressal systems, planning, and monitoring service delivery outcomes, he added.
The chief secretary said officers in the state administration should have a working knowledge of the principles, tools and applications of AI. Understanding these technologies is essential not only for informed decision-making but also for designing citizen-centric policies, managing large scale data systems and enhancing administrative responsiveness.
He asked all departments to issue necessary instructions to the officers under their control to mandatorily enroll in and complete at least one foundational course in AI. These courses are available free of cost on reputed platforms and are designed to offer both conceptual clarity and applied perspectives, he added.