Chief Minister Inaugurates Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center of Excellence at GIFT City; Launches AI Innovation Challenge

Gandhinagar : While inaugurating the Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence at GIFT City, the Chief Minister said that this center will rise as a significant think tank in the field of AI in Gujarat.

This center is operational as a result of the MoU signed between the State Government’s Science and Technology Department and Microsoft in June 2024 for establishing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center of Excellence at GIFT City.

This center will utilize key technologies such as machine learning, cognitive services, and chatbot services. Successful pilot projects in various fields of these technologies will be rolled out, and various training programs will be conducted.

Furthermore, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Center will cater effective, timely services to citizens, promoting innovation at the grassroots level and accelerating technological progress in various fields, including production, healthcare, and education, thereby offering extensive cooperation to both the government and industry.

The CM stated that the Prime Minister’s policy of ‘Je Kahevu Te Karvu’- (delivering on promises) was demonstrated with the centre becoming operational in just 7 months.

Along with the inauguration of this Center of Excellence, the Chief Minister also launched the Innovation Challenge. He presented 10 awards to MSMEs for early adoption of innovative solutions in AI  and IoT-led solutions as well as in startups.

Inspired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s futuristic goals, continuous innovations are being added to the country’s first financial tech city, ‘GIFT City.’ CM said.

The inauguration of the AI Center of Excellence is a key step toward making Gujarat a hub for Artificial Intelligence and technology-driven development, the Chief Minister added.

CM also briefed about how Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s inspiring mantra of “Yahi Samay Hai, Sahi Samay Hai” (This is the right time), will motivate the youth to remain at the forefront of competing globally with a technology-driven, innovative approach, helping them to unlock and realize their complete potential.

In this context, the Chief Minister further said that, since the launch of the Innovation Hub at GIFT City, the AI Center of Excellence has been set up in a very short period. This center will aid as a vital bridge between startups and industries, addressing the knowledge gap in the AI technology sector.
Chief Minister was confident that an ecosystem would unite experts, professionals, and startups to develop new solutions on a single platform.

He further said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has committed to ensuring that AI technology reaches every citizen, aligning with the goal of “Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas”, and advancing with the mantra of “AI for All.”
To achieve this, the India AI Mission has been established under the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who recognizes AI as a key driver for an “Aspirational India,” creating new opportunities for the nation’s youth talent pool, the Chief Minister added.

The Chief Minister also shared that, in Gujarat, the government has formed the Gujarat AI Task Force to address challenges in health, agriculture, education, and industries through AI, contributing to good governance.
On this occasion, Chief Secretary Shri Raj Kumar said that the inauguration of the AI Center of Excellence in Gujarat today is a moment of pride for the state. Gujarat has emerged as a leading and guiding state in the country in adopting AI technology across various sectors.

He further said that during the decade of 1990 to 2000, the advent of the internet as a new technology led to increased digitization, bringing the entire world to our fingertips. Similarly, in the present era, by adopting AI as an innovative technology, the state government has laid a strong foundation for “A Viksit Gujarat through Viksit Bharat .”

Speaking about AI technology, he said that Gujarat is already established as a manufacturing hub in the country. In the coming years, Gujarat will also emerge as a hub for AI technology. Through AI, the capabilities of any government or organization can be doubled, leading to faster development for both the country and the organization. For this reason, Gujarat will actively promote AI technology in manufacturing and all other sectors in the future.

Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, and Mission Director of the AI Mission  Shri Abhishek Singh stated that a Center of Excellence has been established at IIT Gandhinagar in Gujarat. This center has facilitated the use of AI in manufacturing across more than 1,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and has supported around 300 startups. He further said that through the India AI Mission and the Semiconductor Mission, Gujarat has emerged as a leading state in driving a revolution in semiconductor technology.

GIFT City’s Managing Director and CEO, Shri Tapan Ray, highlighted the vision and infrastructure of GIFT City, stating that numerous leading national and international companies are operating in sectors such as finance, banking, insurance, market research, fintech, aircraft leasing, and AI data centers. He further stated that the establishment of the ‘AI Center of Excellence,’ launched today in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, the Government of Gujarat, and global companies specializing in AI, significantly strengthens GIFT City’s vision.

CEO of Microsoft India and South Asia, Dr. Rohini Srivathsa, stated that the launch of the Innovation Challenge, along with the Center of Excellence, aims to provide AI-based real-time solutions to address various real-world problems faced by industries across the country, including Gujarat, with a particular focus on startups.

NASSCOM co-founder and Mastek Chairman, Shri Ashank Desai, remarked that Artificial Intelligence is not just a technology but a transformative force for the broader economy. While AI has been around for a long time, its widespread adoption has significantly increased in the past 5-6 years due to advancements in computing power and modern software.

At the start of the program, Gujarat Government’s Principal Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, Smt. Mona Khandhar, welcomed everyone and expressed gratitude to all participants for their efforts in making the “AI Center of Excellence” initiative a success.

During the inauguration ceremony, presentations were given by startups on topics such as providing medical assistance to patients in the healthcare sector through AI, checking the quality of grains, shaping the future of financial services, and enabling seamless digital payments for smart investment strategies.

The Chief Minister also visited the Experience Zone showcasing AI adoption in the health and agriculture sectors.

Expert speakers at the event deliberated on various topics, including the use of AI in the era of digital transformation, AI chatbots for the Digital Gujarat platform under the Innovation Spotlight, and the creation of an AI ecosystem for startups, industries, and academia.

The event was attended by Shri Tushar Bhatt, Managing Director of Gujarat Informatics Ltd; Shri Lalit Narayan Singh Sandu, Project Director of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, along with officials and employees from the central and Gujarat state governments, entrepreneurs, and industrialists from various fields.

Source: Information Department, Gujarat