In an exclusive interaction with TNIE’s Ajay Tomar on Friday during the Global AI Summit, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu elaborated on incorporating AI into governance and the need to sensitise the bureaucracy to overcome resistance. He also spoke about introducing Artificial Intelligence in schools and the upcoming two lakh sq ft WTC in Shamshabad
There is a lot of focus on AI in schools. Microsoft has agreed to train 50,000 secondary school students while NVIDIA is set to train 5,000 students from 200 technical institutions.
Students have to be exposed to the new technologies at a very early age, so AI becomes a necessary ingredient in the curriculum. Taking inspiration from Finland’s pioneering AI education model, which introduced AI courses nationwide to equip its population with critical future skills, Telangana aims to refine and tailor this approach to our unique needs. We have initial plans to roll it out to 5,000 students from our side. Microsoft is also coming to train 50,000 pupils. Other organisations such as HYSEA and TASK would train 10,000 students in the fields of AI and crypto.
How did you manage to rope in top companies such as Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta and Amazon? Any more big names?
They could see our vision, conviction and commitment. In times to come, they need more skilled people. They know if skill is imparted, it can be absorbed by youngsters in Telangana who would be readily available for the industry at the global stage.
You have said that not just Hyderabad, all 33 districts will be AI-driven in the times to come.
First of all, we have to integrate AI into governance. We have to sensitise our people about AI and introduce it gradually into all departments. We would like to have one or two AI-trained professionals in each stream of our administration — for collection of data, analysing it, etc. There will be strong force in the bureaucracy too against new technologies due to lack of knowledge about such tech, fear, etc. We have to overcome all this. We have taken a small step. We have to take a thousand more steps.
Can you tell us about the AI operations at WTC Shamshabad
The largest WTC is coming up near Shamshabad and they have offered a two lakh sq ft place till our AI city comes into operation. We will be hosting the AI innovation hub, startups, product companies and others in a small way. Later, after the AI city is built, it will be shifted there.
Please elaborate on the AI school in AI city.
It will have short-term and long-term courses, on all disruptive technologies including AI. It is a reskilling model. We will offer diplomas and degrees.
You have pointed out that AI is a double-edged sword and talked about learnings from Japan.
Soon, thousands and thousands of people will be working on new products in Hyderabad itself. What is good and what is not has to be figured out. MIT is working on ethics in AI, this summit hosted a professor from that university. The security, privacy and welfare of our citizens are our primary concerns. We are also concerned about deepfakes and misinformation.