Bengaluru: Seeking to strengthen Karnataka‘s position as the country’s leading technological hub by leveraging the burgeoning wave of Artificial Intelligence (AI), chief minister Siddaramaiah Friday unveiled a series of new initiatives aimed at accelerating the adoption of AI across sectors. From AI-powered support systems for farmers and personalised digital tutors for students to new research centres and robotics hubs, the state govt is expanding its AI ecosystem while aiming to make the technology accessible beyond Bengaluru.Planning to adopt AI to reach out to farmers at the grassroots level, the govt announced that the existing ‘Raitha Kare Kendra’ (sarmer call centre) will be upgraded using AI tech. The upgraded call centres will provide farmers with quick and reliable information on a range of agricultural inputs, including weather forecasts, market prices, farming technologies and govt schemes, all available through a single digital platform designed to improve accessibility and responsiveness.Further, in a bid to make learning a more engaging and enjoyable experience for school students, the CM announced the introduction of AI-driven learning tools across schools in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Dharwad. According to officials from the IT and BT department, the collaboration will help develop a personalised self-learning digital tutor powered by AI, giving students the feeling of having a personal tutor by their side and helping improve learning outcomes. Costing about Rs 5 crore, the project is expected to benefit nearly 12.3 lakh students from classes 8 to 12, and is likely to help them solve tricky mathematics problems, simplify complex science concepts, and better understand difficult lessons through customised digital assistance.With the aim of strengthening the AI research and innovation ecosystem in the state, the govt also proposed the setting up of the Bangalore Robotics and AI Innovation Zone (BRAINz) at the AI and Robotics Technology Park (ART-PARK) under the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in collaboration with Isro and the state-owned Keonics. In addition, a centre of excellence for AI will be established at IIIT Raichur, at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore, to promote advanced research, innovation, and technology development.Betting big on AI to bridge the urban-rural technology gap, the govt also has plans to establish modern AI data labs in around 50 govt colleges, largely located in Tier 2 and 3 cities. The initiative will be supported with Rs 10 crore in funding under the Centre’s AI Mission. Riding high on AI wave* AI-based paperless registration under Kaveri 3.0 software to be developed for Rs 65 crore* Bengaluru ranks 5th among the world’s top 50 cities in AI and big data * AI-based facial recognition attendance system at anganwadis, schools, colleges, hostels * AI to transform existing helpline for food & civil supplies into ‘Smart Annavani’ * Govt polytechnics, engineering colleges to offer lessons in AI, machine learning, cloud computing, automation engineering
