Telangana makes strides in realm of Artificial Intelligence, rises as global AI powerhouse

Telangana AI Mission's Revv Up programme has propelled over 142 AI startups, providing them access to market, funding, mentorship, and state-of-the-art AI computing infrastructure

Hyderabad: Telangana unveiled the “State of AI Ecosystem in Telangana” report on Monday, underscoring the State’s strides in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This comprehensive report, curated by the Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM), powered by NASSCOM and initiated by the State government, illuminates Telangana’s meteoric rise as a global AI powerhouse. It accentuates the harmonious convergence of cutting-edge research, diverse talent, robust infrastructure, and strategic partnerships, an official statement said.

By leading from the front, the State has been driving transformative projects such as quality assessment of agricultural commodities, pensioners life certificate authentication through selfie, pothole detection and mapping, among other projects to infuse technology into critical sectors for efficient, secure, and citizen-friendly solutions. Grand Challenges, led by T-AIM, have helped catalyze innovation, and harness entrepreneurial spirit to address existing challenges in the public sector, according to the report.

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Telangana’s AI prowess is underscored by its prominent standing in global rankings, with six universities securing spots within the top 1,000 globally for research publications in computer science, as per SCImago Institutions Rankings 2022. Notably, the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH) and Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) have led with 508 and 552 ranks, respectively. The region has made substantial contributions to AI research, with an impressive 1,774 AI-related publications between 2011 and 2022. Telangana’s strength lies in robotics and computer vision, contributing to 61 percent of total patent filings, the report says.

The State has championed diversity, witnessing a Gender Parity Index (GPI) of 1.09 among the student population, and recognizes the pivotal role of diversity in eliminating decision biases during AI model training. Addressing the extant need for AI talent, T-AIM has embarked on multifaceted initiatives such as the Academic Grand Challenges, nurturing innovation, problem-solving, and talent identification among students, it adds.

T-AIM’s Revv Up programme has propelled over 142 AI startups, providing them access to market, funding, mentorship, and state-of-the-art AI computing infrastructure. The State’s strategic partnerships facilitate AI startups’ soft landing in foreign markets and incentivize participation in international events. The robust startup ecosystem in the State has been adding further impetus to the growth of these startups.

The report will now guide the State to discern and capitalize on various opportunities that will expand the AI landscape in Telangana. Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM) will collaborate synergistically with all pivotal stakeholders and enablers within the State’s AI ecosystem to orchestrate a series of strategic initiatives.