Karnataka considering setting up AI university, seeks industry suggestions: CM Shivakumar

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the government was considering setting up an AI university and had sought suggestions from the industry in this regard.

Asserting that his government remained committed to creating an environment where businesses can innovate with confidence, access world-class talent and scale globally, he said, "Together, we will ensure that the next generation of global technologies and enterprise capabilities continues to be imagined, engineered and scaled from Karnataka."

Shivakumar attended 'Katalyst Connect: The Chief Minister's Meet with Global Capability Centre Leaders' here, organised by the Department of Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, in partnership with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission.

The event was part of the government's dedicated Ease of Doing Business initiative for GCCs, aimed at facilitating investments, addressing operational challenges and enabling faster coordination between GCCs and the government.

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"There is a proposal to set up an AI university , and we have sought suggestions from everyone. It is a new idea. Whatever the world needs, we want to provide it from Bengaluru, and the world too looks to Bengaluru for it. We have sought suggestions," Shivakumar told reporters after the event.

Noting that more than 200 GCC leaders had participated in the event and offered several suggestions to the government, he said, "As you know, the whole world is looking at Bengaluru, and they have given suggestions regarding their needs here."

"They have requested a mobility plan and have spoken about Beyond Bengaluru, centres of excellence, and the research and innovation taking place here," he added. Expressing happiness over the trust industry leaders had placed in Karnataka, he said, "We are prepared to match their expectations.

They say there is a need to do more in terms of policy compared to other states. We will consider this, keeping their suggestions in mind." Keeping the industry leaders' suggestions in mind, the government would also work on how to develop Bengaluru and how to promote growth beyond Bengaluru, Shivakumar said.

"I have told them that if they create more employment by setting up units in tier-II and tier-III cities, facilities will be provided to ensure they get land at a cheaper rental rate. We have told them that the government is committed to providing infrastructure if anyone wants to start operations in cities beyond Bengaluru, such as Mangaluru, Kalaburagi, Belagavi and Dharwad," he said.

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"We are not only thinking about Bengaluru; we are looking beyond Bengaluru. We will provide double the Floor Area Ratio for buildings in tier-II and tier-III cities to those who want to create jobs there, so that high-rises and top-class facilities come up there as well. We want to create a Team Karnataka with industry," he added.

More than 35 per cent of the country's GCCs are present in Bengaluru, Shivakumar pointed out. Minister for Home, Information Technology, Biotechnology and E-Governance Priyank Kharge, among others, was present along with Shivakumar.

According to a press release, the dialogue focused on strengthening government-industry collaboration and enabling GCCs in Karnataka to take on larger global mandates across artificial intelligence, engineering, research and development, product innovation and enterprise transformation.

Addressing the gathering, Shivakumar reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening Karnataka's position as India's leading destination for Global Capability Centres.

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He said, "Karnataka's partnership with Global Capability Centres has helped build one of the world's most dynamic innovation ecosystems. Today, GCCs in our state are shaping global products, engineering breakthrough technologies and driving enterprise transformation."

The interaction featured focused discussions on key themes, including AI, GenAI and enterprise transformation; talent development, skilling and future workforce readiness; digital and urban infrastructure; and ease of doing business and policy enablement.

The discussions also covered research, innovation and industry-academia collaboration; expansion of GCC investments beyond Bengaluru; strengthening Karnataka's startup and deep-tech ecosystem; and enabling GCCs to take on larger global mandates from Karnataka, the release said.

Noting that nearly 30,000 new vehicles are registered in Bengaluru every month, making traffic management a top priority, Shivakumar outlined several major infrastructure projects and said, "Overall, we are investing Rs 1.5 lakh crore in Bengaluru's development."

Ahead of the strategic consultation, Shivakumar visited Target's India campus, the Global Capability Centre of US retailer Target Corporation. He interacted with the company's leadership and gained insights into the capabilities being built from Karnataka across technology, AI, finance, marketing, digital, supply chain, merchandising, store design and more, it added.