Andhra Pradesh Scales up its AI Leadership: MoU Signed with Tech Bharat Foundation to Launch India's First AI Center of Excellence for Public Good

NewsVoir

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], September 1: The Government of Andhra Pradesh, through its Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (ITE&C), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tech Bharat Foundation to establish a groundbreaking AI Center of Excellence (CoE) in Visakhapatnam, aimed at advancing AI for Public Good.

Andhra Pradesh has been at the forefront of applying AI across governance, from real-time dashboards to predictive analytics in administration. The new CoE is a strategic step to institutionalize these efforts, accelerate innovation, and scale impact through structured collaboration, talent development, and field-tested deployment.

The AI CoE will act as a platform to:

* Co-create deployable AI tools for G2C (Government-to-Citizen) services.

* Solve real-time governance challenges through focused proof of concepts.

* Host a national AI Fellowship Program to attract and mentor high-potential AI talent.

* Drive research, policy insights, and hands-on capacity-building in applied AI for governance.

The CoE will anchor a 120-day AI Fellowship Program, where selected fellows will work closely with government departments to build practical AI prototypes that address specific public challenges. The first cohort begins in September 2025, with applications open until September 4th, 2025, at techbharat.ai.

Students, professionals, and researchers with foundational skills in Python and machine learning are eligible to apply for the Fellowship. Selected fellows will receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 25,000, along with fully supported residential facilities in Visakhapatnam. The program offers direct collaboration with government departments, access to advanced AI infrastructure, and mentorship from industry experts--enabling fellows to build and test real-world solutions in public governance.

The initiative is supported by globally respected cloud and AI infrastructure providers, along with premier academic institutions and engineering innovation partners--who will contribute research expertise, compute infrastructure, network security, and mentorship.

Shri Bhaskar Katamneni, IAS, Secretary, Department of ITE&C, Government of Andhra Pradesh, said "In Andhra Pradesh, AI is not a buzzword--it's already part of how we govern. From grievance redressal to predictive service delivery, we've been applying AI where it creates real public value. This collaboration adds momentum. The CoE gives us a structured way to pilot bold ideas, build local capacity, and turn AI into an everyday tool for good governance."

Sridhar Gadhi, Chairman of Tech Bharat Foundation, said "This is more than a state initiative--it's a national blueprint for how AI can strengthen governance. Andhra Pradesh offers the perfect starting point with its digital readiness and leadership mindset. Through this CoE, we're building deployable, responsible AI tools for India's most pressing public challenges. Our goal is to move from e-Governance to i-Governance: intelligent, inclusive, and iterative."

The flagship AI Center of Excellence, featuring a state-of-the-art applied research lab in Visakhapatnam, is slated to open later this year as a national hub for real-world innovation in public sector AI.

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