Lucknow: The Union ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY), in partnership with the Uttar Pradesh govt, will set up three centres of excellence in artificial intelligence (AI-COEs) in the state under the IndiaAI Mission to promote AI innovation, research and startup incubation.The AI-COEs will be established at APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU), Lucknow; Harcourt Butler Technical University (HBTU), Kanpur; and the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Lucknow, officials said.The centres are planned as collaborative hubs linking academia, startups and industry to develop scalable, indigenous AI solutions aimed at public good and economic growth. In addition to supporting research and product development, the hubs will provide access to data sets and advanced computing infrastructure and will facilitate capacity building through Data & AI Labs.Each AI-COE will be developed with an investment of Rs 50 crore under a 40:40:20 funding model, with contributions from MeitY, the UP govt and industry or academic partners. Industry partners associated with the initiative include Google, NASSCOM, Microsoft, TCS, EY and HCL.Officials said the AI-COEs are envisioned as platforms to strengthen research and innovation while catalysing a robust startup ecosystem. By bringing together stakeholders from govt, academia and industry, the centres aim to help startups scale concepts into viable ventures with wider adoption potential.A key focus will be on deploying AI-driven solutions in governance to improve efficiency, transparency and responsiveness in public service delivery, with the goal of enhancing citizen experience.The initiative will also prioritise building a future-ready workforce through structured training programmes, capacity-building initiatives and certification courses in AI and allied technologies, creating a talent pipeline for emerging sectors.AKTU vice-chancellor Prof JP Pandey said the AI-COEs would boost innovation, skill development and startup growth as Uttar Pradesh targets a $1 trillion economy by 2029-30. IIIT Lucknow director Arun Mohan Sherry said the move would strengthen the state’s position in next-generation technologies while attracting investment and generating employment.
