BENGALURU: Accelerating Karnataka‘s bid to become India’s AI powerhouse, chief minister DK Shivakumar on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious roadmap to establish the country’s first govt-backed AI University, an AI Innovation Hub and next-generation green data centres, as the state seeks to cement its leadership in artificial intelligence. The ecosystem will foster cutting-edge AI research while creating a pipeline of next-generation AI talent.Addressing developers, researchers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders at Google I/O Connect India 2026 in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said Karnataka was committed to becoming an “AI-native state” by embedding AI across education, research, governance and industry. We are laying the foundation for the country’s first and largest AI University to nurture world-class researchers and the next generation of AI talent,” he said. The proposed institution will anchor a broader AI ecosystem, including an AI innovation hub that will bring together startups, academia, researchers and industry to develop AI-led solutions.The CM also announced plans to establish next-generation green data centres in coastal Karnataka and around Bengaluru, saying digital infrastructure will be critical to supporting the state’s AI ambitions while ensuring sustainable growth.Calling Bengaluru the natural home of technological revolutions, he said Karnataka is uniquely positioned to lead the AI era. “Every technological revolution begins with a simple question: What if we could do this differently? That spirit of constant innovation defines Bengaluru, Karnataka and India,” he said.
