Google Partners with Andhra Pradesh Government to Accelerate AI Adoption and Innovation

Google, Andhra govt join hands to fuel AI innovation & adoption, develop AI-ready workforce

The MoU exchange took place in Amaravati, in the presence of Nara Lokesh, Minister of IT, electronics and communications, Andhra Pradesh, between Bikram Singh Bedi, vice president and Country MD, Google Cloud India, and S Suresh Kumar, secretary of real time governance society, Andhra Pradesh.Tech giant Google on Thursday said it has partnered with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to drive the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the state, focusing on sectors such as healthcare and sustainability. The collaboration aims to empower local startups and develop an AI-ready workforce through targeted training initiatives. The MoU exchange took place in Amaravati, in the presence of Nara Lokesh, Minister of IT, Electronics and Communications, Andhra Pradesh, between Bikram Singh Bedi, vice president and country MD, Google Cloud India, and S Suresh Kumar, secretary of real time governance society, Andhra Pradesh. "Under this MoU, Google will collaborate with the Andhra Pradesh government to integrate AI and ML solutions in critical areas such as healthcare, and environmental sustainability. The collaboration will also focus on promoting skill development and bridging the digital divide by providing citizens with the necessary training and resources to thrive in an AI-driven economy. "Additionally, Google will collaborate to support the state's startup ecosystem, to fuel innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of AI," a company statement said. As part of this partnership, Google plans to offer 10,000 certificates for its Google AI Essentials course and provide additional resources for educators to meet the increasing demand for computer science education. "Our collaboration with Google is a significant step towards realising this vision. Together, we aim to create an inclusive and sustainable ecosystem where AI drives progress in critical sectors. This partnership will also be instrumental in building an AI-ready workforce, a vibrant startup ecosystem in AI, and ensuring lasting benefits of AI for all," the minister said. Google will also collaborate with the government to provide skilling programmes for government agencies, including Google Cloud Certifications and Skill Badges in areas like cybersecurity, data analytics, and generative AI, the statement said. It will work with the state's startup ecosystem to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, providing mentorship and networking opportunities and access to Google for Startups Accelerator programmes. Eligible AI startups will receive cloud credits, technical training, and business support. "We are excited to combine Google's AI expertise with the state's vision to cultivate an AI-ready workforce, support local startups, and address areas like healthcare and sustainability," Bedi said.

Google Joins Hands With Andhra Pradesh To Spur AI Adoption

Google will offer a certification course in AI and train 10,000 individuals on the use of AI in their daily work and lives to increase productivity and efficiency Big tech major Google has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh government to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the state. The collaboration will primarily focus on integrating AI and machine learning (ML) solutions in key sectors such as sustainability and healthcare. In a statement, Google said that the partnership will prioritise "digital infrastructure enhancements, AI skills development, and support for the local startup ecosystem". Commenting on the collaboration, Google Cloud India's vice-president and country MD Bikram Singh Bedi said, "... We're excited to combine Google's AI expertise with the state's vision to cultivate an AI-ready workforce, support local startups, and address areas like healthcare and sustainability..." Below are some of the key focus areas of the MoU: Startups In Focus: Google's accelerator programmes will foster startups in the state through mentorship and networking opportunities. Eligible local AI startups will also get cloud credits, technical training, and business support from Google. Skill Development: Google will offer a certification course in AI, and will train 10,000 individuals on the use of AI in their daily work and lives to increase productivity and efficiency. Training Government Personnel: Google Cloud will collaborate with various state agencies to provide skilling programmes to employees in areas like cybersecurity, data analytics, and generative AI (GenAI). Sustainability: Google will also offer its AI capabilities to address challenges such as air quality, urban planning, and disaster management. Healthcare: Google will offer access to its Health AI imaging models to explore applications of GenAI in healthcare AI Pilot Programmes: The tech giant will partner with the state for a pilot project to integrate use of AI in sectors such as agriculture, traffic management, website modernisation and citizen grievance redressal. The development comes at a time when Google has been actively partnering with Indian startups and rolling out new programmes to tout its GenAI products. Last month at Google's AI Startups Summit in Bengaluru, the company announced $200K in Google Cloud credits for select early-stage founders under the Google for Startups Cloud Program. At the same event, it also announced collaboration with accelerators and incubators such as 500, StartX, Berkeley Skydeck, among others, to offer guidance and technical workshops to budding AI startups in the country. India is home to more than 100 GenAI startups that raised more than $600 Mn between 2019 and 2023. As per an Inc42 report, the homegrown GenAI ecosystem is projected to become a $17 Bn market opportunity by 2030.

Google Partners with Andhra Pradesh Govt to Boost AI Innovation

Among its offerings, Google will provide 10,000 AI essentials course certificates and skilling programs for students, developers, and professionals. Google on Thursday announced a strategic collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to accelerate AI deployment across the state. The company signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aiming to implement AI solutions in critical sectors such as healthcare and environmental sustainability. Google also emphasised on skill development, bridging the digital divide, and nurturing the local startup ecosystem. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, said, "We are pleased to partner with Google to integrate AI solutions and accelerate Andhra Pradesh's growth. This collaboration aligns with our vision of using technology for the betterment of our citizens." Under the agreement, Google will introduce initiatives to promote AI skills, foster startups, and improve healthcare outcomes. AI pilots in agriculture, traffic management, and citizen grievance redressal are also planned. On the skill development side, Google committed to provide 10,000 AI Essentials course certificates and skilling programs, including Google Cloud Certifications and Skill Badges, for students, developers, and professionals. Furthermore, local startups will receive mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to Google for Startups Accelerator programs. AI-powered tools such as Health AI imaging models and generative AI applications will enhance healthcare delivery. AI will also address sustainability challenges such as air quality and disaster management. "We're excited to combine Google's AI expertise with the state's vision to cultivate an AI-ready workforce, support local startups, and address areas like healthcare and sustainability," said Bikram Singh Bedi, vice president and country MD, Google Cloud India. "We look forward to partnering with the Andhra Pradesh government to unlock the transformative potential of AI to drive progress, improve lives, and promote development and inclusion across the State." Not just Andhra Pradesh, other Indian states have actively collaborated with big tech giants to boost AI adoption and innovation. In Karnataka, the state launched India's first GCC policy that aims to attract 500 new centres and create over 3.5 lakh jobs by 2029.