New Delhi: Karnataka will establish India’s first government-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) University. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has proposed the project aiming to capitalise on the state’s existing technological infrastructure.
Shivakumar said the ambition was to develop AI talent, promote advanced research, and foster collaboration among academia, industry, and government.
“Bengaluru is not just India’s technology capital but one of the world’s most vibrant innovation ecosystems. Karnataka’s vision is to build one of the world’s leading centres for responsible Artificial Intelligence,” he said Tuesday while addressing the Google I/O Connect India 2026 in Bengaluru.
Shivakumar also announced the setup of an AI hub as an incubation centre for AI research and development by startups and other stakeholders.
IT exports from Bengaluru alone account for nearly 40 percent of India’s software exports, with the city being home to over 17,000 startups and thousands of Global Capability Centres that design and engineer products for the global market.
Shivakumar even pushed the idea of Karnataka becoming an ‘AI-Native state’.
“AI must help teachers teach better, doctors diagnose diseases earlier, farmers receive better advisory services, citizens access government services with dignity and speed, and small businesses compete confidently,” he said.
He outlined five key areas for collaboration: developing AI tools for education, healthcare, agriculture and small businesses; supporting startups solving Indian challenges at scale; expanding AI learning opportunities for students across Karnataka; making the state a global laboratory for responsible technology; and securing Google’s commitment as a long-term ecosystem partner.
Bengaluru has several AI-based startups in the city.
According to data by startup tracker, Tracxn, there are 653 AI companies in Bengaluru, including 262 funded companies which have collectively raised $2.16 billion in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 73 have achieved unicorn status — a term used to refer to a company with over $1 billion valuation.
In the last decade, AI companies in Bengaluru have seen a total funding of more than $2.11 billion. The highest funding recorded on an annual basis was in 2022 at more than $466 million. In 2025, Bengaluru based AI-companies raised $276 million while in 2026, companies have raised a total funding of $76.2 million so far, according to Tracxn data.
(Edited by Vidhi Bhutra)
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