India’s largest state, Uttar Pradesh has stated its intention to build the country’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) city through an Expression of Interest (EoI). To be situated in Lucknow, the AI city will advance and foster the AI ecosystem worldwide.
The project’s nodal agency the UP Electronics Corporation envisages the city to become a hub for capacity-building, education, and research, and cultivating the next generation of workforce. Lucknow already hosts the AI Centre of Excellence which supports over 15 AI/ML startups.
The EoI has invited real estate developers to build and operate the AI city with a plan to develop hi-tech infrastructure, incubate startups, and provide space for AI businesses. The state government has also announced subsidiaries, selective tax exemption, part funding, and assistance during construction.
The government has also announced that it will provide 40 acres for the project in the Nadarganj Industrial Area. The AI city will also incorporate luxury and affordable residential complexes while keeping walk-to-work in mind.
Furthermore, the connectivity inside the city will be aided by AI-enabled transportation and dedicated space for engineering and management institutions to boost academia-industry collaboration.
According to a report by Grand View Research, the global AI market reached $137 billion in size in 2022 and is anticipated to witness a compound annual growth rate of 37.3 percent from 2023 to 2030.
