BENGALURU: Karnataka has announced plans to establish what it described as India’s first government-led artificial intelligence (AI) university, as the state unveiled a broader strategy aimed at strengthening AI education, research, digital infrastructure and industry collaboration.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar made the announcement while inaugurating Google I/O Connect India 2026 in Bengaluru, saying the proposed university would help build AI talent, advance research and strengthen collaboration between academia, industry and government.
The government also announced plans to establish a dedicated AI Hub as an incubation centre for startups, companies and researchers, introduce a Karnataka AI Policy, incorporate AI education into the school curriculum from Class VI, and develop two hyperscale green data centres to support AI infrastructure.
The announcements are part of Karnataka’s efforts to position itself as an “AI-native” state by expanding artificial intelligence adoption across education, healthcare, agriculture, governance and industry.
“Karnataka’s vision is to build one of the world’s leading centres for responsible Artificial Intelligence,” Shivakumar said, adding that the state wanted AI to improve governance and public services while creating new economic opportunities.
According to the government, the proposed AI University will focus on developing specialised AI talent, promoting advanced research and supporting collaboration between educational institutions, industry and the public sector. The AI Hub will function as an incubation centre to support research, product development and innovation by startups, technology companies and academic institutions.
Karnataka’s existing technology ecosystem
While the government outlined the broad vision, it did not disclose details such as the project’s investment, implementation timeline or governance structure. Further information on the university and the proposed AI policy is expected to be announced later.
The proposed university is expected to complement Karnataka’s existing technology ecosystem. The state contributes nearly 40% of India’s software exports, while Bengaluru is home to more than 17,000 startups and one of the country’s largest concentrations of Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
The announcement also builds on Karnataka’s recent efforts to strengthen its AI ecosystem. Earlier this year, the state approved an AI Centre of Excellence to promote deep-tech innovation and AI adoption across sectors, while its Startup Policy 2025-30 identified AI among the priority technologies for startup development.
State governments are increasingly competing to attract AI investment through a combination of policy support, digital infrastructure, startup incentives and talent development as demand for AI skills accelerates across sectors.
Karnataka, which already hosts major engineering centres of global technology companies, is seeking to leverage that ecosystem to strengthen its position as a hub for AI research, product development and commercial deployment.
