AP IT and Education Minister Nara Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh is preparing its learners to lead in the AI-based global economy through partnerships like IIT Madras.
Participating in the Education Sector Governors’ Meeting as part of the World Economic Forum conference in Davos on Wednesday, he said that three AI Centers of Excellence are being set up in Andhra Pradesh with an investment of Rs. 255 crore.
He said that his government has sanctioned the establishment of three Artificial Intelligence Centers of Excellence (CoE) to support AI training in the state, to create a trained AI workforce and to promote innovations. Last year, i.e. 2024-25, Lokesh said that Rs. 255 crore was allocated for this in the interim budget.
Minister Nara Lokesh said that the Andhra Pradesh government has set a target of creating a 95% skilled workforce by 2047 by focusing on STEM and AI to increase competitiveness in the world. He said that educational innovations will pave the way for programs like One Entrepreneur for the Family.
He said that his government aims to establish the state as a global talent hub through continuous upskilling programs with a flexible workforce model, wide employment generation, and flexible workforce model. In this approach, he said that technology solutions will be promoted by using advanced technologies and giving priority to deep tech.
He said that educational institutions and corporates need to work in partnership to ensure that the curriculum is in line with the rapidly changing technologies around the world. He suggested that new innovations should be made according to the needs of the industry.
Minister Nara Lokesh explained that 42 percent of organizations with more than a 1000 employees are actively using AI in their daily operations. He clarified that India (59%), United Arab Emirates (58%), and Singapore (53%) are the leaders in the use of AI.
Meanwhile, Minister Nara Lokesh met with Temasek Holdings India Strategic Initiative Head Ravi Lamba and suggested that Temasek Group subsidiary Capita Land should invest in industrial parks and data centers in Andhra Pradesh. He said that commercial space should be set up in Vizag and Tirupati cities and infrastructure should be developed in the REIT model in industrial clusters.
He proposed to invest in renewable energy and green hydrogen sectors along with its subsidiary SembCorp. He also said that Sema Tech Telemedia should cooperate in setting up data centers and data center parks in Vizag and Tirupati.