Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, is all set to become the first AI city in India, according to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He announced this ambitious plan during his visit to the city on December 16, 2023. He said that the UP government has formulated a comprehensive action plan for establishing an AI city in Lucknow, and has initiated the implementation process by the UP Electronics Corporation Limited (UPLC).
The AI city project aims to transform Lucknow into a hub of innovation and technology, where artificial intelligence (AI) applications will be integrated into various sectors such as education, health, agriculture, tourism, governance, and security. The project will also create employment opportunities for the youth and boost the economy of the state.
According to CM Adityanath, Lucknow has all the potential to become an AI city because of its rich cultural heritage, historical monuments, educational institutions, research centers, and IT infrastructure. He said that Lucknow is also well-connected with other major cities of India and abroad by road and rail. He added that Lucknow will be a model for other states to follow in developing AI cities.
The chief minister also said that he has instructed UPLC to set up an AI park in Lucknow within six months. The park will house various startups and enterprises that are working on AI solutions for different domains. The park will also provide mentorship, training, funding, and networking opportunities for the entrepreneurs.
CM Adityanath said that he is confident that Lucknow will emerge as a global leader in AI by 2025. He said that he hopes that this project will inspire other states and countries to adopt AI as a tool for development and progress. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his support and guidance in this initiative.
The AI city project is expected to cost around Rs 10,000 crore. It will be funded by various sources such as central government schemes, state government grants, private sector investments, and public-private partnerships. The project will also involve collaboration with national and international agencies such as NITI Aayog, UNDP, UNESCO, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, etc.
The project is likely to have a positive impact on various aspects of life in Lucknow. It will enhance the quality of education by providing personalized learning experiences for students through online platforms and smart classrooms. It will improve the quality of health care by using AI-based diagnosis tools and telemedicine services. It will increase the productivity of agriculture by using drones and sensors for crop monitoring and pest control. It will promote tourism by using chatbots and virtual reality for guiding visitors around historical sites. It will improve governance by using biometric authentication and facial recognition for security purposes. It will also reduce crime by using CCTV cameras and predictive analytics for preventing violence.
The project is also expected to create new avenues for innovation and creativity among the people of Lucknow. It will encourage them to develop their own AI applications based on their local needs and interests. It will also foster a culture of learning among them by exposing them to various courses and workshops on AI skills.
The project is one of the flagship initiatives of CM Adityanath’s vision 2023 plan. The plan aims to make Uttar Pradesh a $1 trillion economy by 2023-24 by focusing on six pillars: agriculture modernization; industrial development; infrastructure development; tourism development; skill development; social welfare.
The project is also aligned with India’s National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (NSAI)[6] which was launched in 2017 by NITI Aayog in collaboration with IBM. The NSAI outlines seven goals for India’s development through AI: enhancing human capabilities; improving healthcare outcomes; increasing agricultural productivity; boosting manufacturing efficiency; advancing scientific discovery; ensuring safety-critical systems; fostering social inclusion.
Noida is already famous as an IT hub in Uttar Pradesh, but the development of Lucknow as an IT hub and AI city will pave the way for the development of tier-2 cities across the country and the state.
Lucknow’s journey towards becoming an AI city is expected to be an exciting one that will showcase its potential as a cultural capital of India as well as a technological hub of Asia.
