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Karnataka announced a sweeping AI roadmap spanning school education, higher education, research, and digital infrastructure. The state government will introduce AI education from Class 6 and establish India's first government-led AI University. Thus, marking one of the country's most ambitious public-sector AI initiatives.
The announcement came during Google I/O Connect India 2026 in Bengaluru, where Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar outlined the state's vision of becoming an AI-native economy.
According to the announcement, the proposed AI University will be established in Bengaluru and will focus on developing skilled professionals in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. The government also plans to create a dedicated AI Hub to support research, innovation, and collaboration between educational institutions, startups, and industry.
The government will introduce AI into the curriculum for students starting from Class 6. The decision comes as the government wants to build a basic understanding of AI among children at an early age. The state also plans to establish 50 AI labs in government colleges.
This AI University is expected to be the first-of-its-kind AI institution in India created and administered by a state government. This university will serve as an institute dedicated to AI education, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent. The curriculum of this AI university will be formulated after consulting businesses, tech firms, and AI professionals in order to build a globally competitive AI environment.
Other than education, Karnataka plans to build AI infrastructure through an AI Innovation Hub that will benefit entrepreneurs, researchers, and enterprises. Next-generation green AI data centers are being built in Bengaluru and Mangaluru. It is believed that these will rely entirely on renewable energy and recycled water since there are many environmental impacts of AI computing infrastructure.
These new developments show how strongly Karnataka wants to maintain its title as India's leader in technology and expand its vision beyond software services into AI innovation. If these plans are implemented successfully, it could set an example of AI-based public education in India
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