Andhra will produce quantum computers for world: CM Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said artificial intelligence will transform daily life and announced plans to manufacture quantum computers in Amaravati. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue, he also highlighted investments, urban development and concerns over declining fertility rates

New Delhi: Stressing that artificial intelligence is set to be a game-changer, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said his state will soon produce quantum computers for the world, while a data centre is also being set up by Google in the southern state.

Speaking at the 11th Raisina Dialogue here, the chief minister said artificial intelligence (AI) would soon change the daily lives of people.

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Naidu also stressed the importance of the demographic dividend to defend Andhra Pradesh’s decision to incentivise having more children.

“In Andhra, Google is investing 15 billion USD for a one gigawatt data centre, which is the biggest investment in the recent past,” Naidu said.

“Today, we are all talking about Silicon Valley; in the future, people will talk about a Quantum Valley in Amaravati… By the year-end, manufacturing will start, and we will supply quantum computers to the world,” Naidu said.

Andhra Pradesh is setting up a dedicated Quantum Valley tech park in Amaravati, aiming to become a global hub for quantum computing research, development and manufacturing.

Naidu also termed India’s move from IT to AI a “game-changer”.

“AI will play a crucial role in every person’s day-to-day life. I am confident that it will effect transformative changes in the near future,” the N Chandrababu Naidu said.

The chief minister also said that the Andhra Pradesh government is now developing Amaravati as the “most liveable city” in the country.

“A global leadership centre is coming up in Amaravati. Today, Hyderabad has become a knowledge economy. Telangana has the highest per capita income… Now I’m building another city, Amaravati, and everyone in the world is going to talk about it,” Naidu said.

Asked about Centre-state relations, the chief minister said, “India has a rich legacy of dialogue and discussion. Andhra Pradesh and the Centre are working very well, it’s cooperative federalism.” He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi works by building consensus on any issue.

“Consistency and building consensus are very important in politics,” he said.

Naidu also pushed for “population management”, flagging the risks of a “declining” fertility rate and an ageing population in the future.

He said the fertility rate in southern India is around 1.5 per cent, which is far below the replacement rate.

“Now, I have introduced a population management policy… 25 years back, I had promoted population planning. At that time, I used to explain to people that while population is increasing, the air is not, the water is not,” he said, adding that now he urges people to have more children.

“We can use technology only if there is a population. Otherwise, robots will do all the work, which would make survival very, very difficult,” Naidu said.

“Those with more money are not having children, or having one child at the most. Poor people are having more children even today,” he added.

On Thursday, Naidu said the Andhra government is considering a Rs 25,000 birth incentive for couples having a second child or more to boost the falling birth rate.

Addressing the Assembly, he said the government aims to raise the state’s total fertility rate (TFR) to 2.1 from the current 1.5, which is below the replacement level.

The Raisina Dialogue, organised by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, is regarded as India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, industry experts and academics.