Telangana’s information technology (IT) minister, Duddilla Sridhar Babu, said on Monday, that the state government wants to make Hyderabad India’s first and largest Artificial Intelligence (AI) city, or “AI capital of India”.

“Hyderabad has been known as a top information technology (IT) hub in the country. Now, we want to promote it as the AI capital of India,” said IT minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu.

Mr Babu said the government has already identified 200 acres of land along the outskirts of the city for the project.

The plan is to kickstart the activity on the AI city by September. He said the proposed AI City at Hyderabad will invite agriculture, healthcare, education, law enforcement and mobility industries where the technology is needed.

As a prelude, the Telangana government will host a Global AI Summit at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre on September 5 and 6. The summit’s theme is “Making AI Work for Everyone,” and it aims to explore how Artificial Intelligence can benefit and empower society.

The event will feature keynote addresses and thought-provoking sessions by global AI experts, technology leaders, policymakers, and academicians. Over 50 speakers and 2,000 delegates representing various segments will participate in the discussions.

Sridhar Babu added that the government collaborated with industry, academia, start-ups, and policy advisors to co-design an AI framework document. This aims to support the ideation, development, and responsible deployment of Artificial Intelligence for social impact.

Social Media Reaction:

Internet users have varied reactions to the news. Some view it as a gimmick, while others praise the government’s vision.

One user wrote, “Telangana aims to transform Hyderabad into India’s AI capital by creating a dedicated AI city. This move seeks to attract top AI companies and foster a thriving AI ecosystem, building upon the state’s existing IT prowess.”

Another user commented, “These overrated projects might seem a charm to the eyes but in reality they are not. At time like this Hyderabad would not need a AI city. Money could be easily spent to enhance the infrastructure in the current city. For example, development to eradicate Massive traffic jams.”

A third user replied, “What is this AI city concept? I hope it is not just a gimmick and masking a smart city under a new name.”