Karnataka has announced plans to establish India’s first government-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) University and a dedicated AI Hub to strengthen research, innovation and industry collaboration.
The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar while inaugurating Google I/O Connect India 2026 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in Bengaluru.
The proposed AI University will focus on developing world-class AI talent, advanced research and partnerships between academia, industry and the government. The AI Hub will serve as an incubation centre for startups, researchers and technology companies.
Shivakumar said the state aims to build an “AI-native Karnataka” by integrating artificial intelligence into governance, education, healthcare, agriculture, citizen services and small businesses.
The government also plans to introduce AI education from Class 6 and establish two hyperscale green data centres to support AI research, cloud computing and digital infrastructure.
Highlighting Karnataka’s strengths, Shivakumar said the state contributes nearly 40% of India’s software exports, hosts over 17,000 startups and thousands of Global Capability Centres (GCCs), positioning it to lead the AI revolution.
He also invited Google to partner with the state in AI research, startup support, education, responsible AI development and long-term investments.
The government said detailed information on the AI curriculum, university admissions and project timelines will be announced later.
