New era begins in AP

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday declared that Andhra Pradesh is entering a new era of governance powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and it should power governance through human touch to solve people's problems.

Addressing a two-day workshop on "AI and Emerging Technologies for Government Digital Transformation," the Chief Minister underscored that systems must empower governance, not restrict it. “We have the best brains in the country, especially in the IAS. But our systems make them inefficient. We must now rewrite old, archaic laws and embrace smart, digital systems,” he said.

Calling for a mindset shift, the Chief Minister declared: “Hard work is no longer enough. We must focus on smart work.”

Naidu advocated for every department to develop an AI Champion who would identify and lead the adoption of use cases. From the deployment of drones to control illegal cultivation to Aadhaar-linked home deliveries during disasters, the Chief Minister shared successful examples of how technology, when used wisely, can transform public service. “Every family must have someone who prepares or applies use cases. This is how we ensure that technology serves the people,” he added.

The Chief Minister also spoke passionately about the integration of massive datasets through a state-run Data Lake, enabling predictive governance. “We will integrate all data, and the Planning Department must use it to prepare for the future,” he stated. He announced that Andhra Pradesh would fully saturate critical infrastructure like housing and sanitation by 2028 or 2029 and leverage Public-Private-People Partnerships (P4) to uplift underprivileged families.

He expressed strong confidence in achieving economic growth of 15 per cent, stating that such ambitious targets are not beyond reach. Drawing a comparison with Telangana, he highlighted how the region transformed from being largely agrarian two and a half decades ago to now having the highest per capita income in the country, driven by balanced growth across agriculture, industry, and services. Despite the transformative power of AI, the Chief Minister stressed the importance of human empathy in governance. “Technology must solve people’s problems. It must have a human angle,” he said, adding that 75 per cent of grievances in governance are land-related, and digitisation of land records - a project he initiated in Telangana - is a critical step forward.

Reflecting on the journey of Indian innovation, he noted: “We once watched ISRO’s satellites in awe. Today, Indian startups are building satellites for Rs 30 crore. The world is watching us now.”

Earlier, R Chandrasekhar, former Secretary, MEITY and DOT, spoke on the Role of AI and technology in good governance and said that resolving problems faced by people requires vision and bureaucratic will.

The seminar is being held in Amaravati in collaboration with the Wadhwani Centre for Government Digital Transformation. It is designed to build awareness and capacity among senior and mid-level government officers to understand and implement AI-based innovations in governance.

Participants will gain exposure to real-world use cases, discuss implementation strategies, and contribute to a roadmap that aligns with Andhra Pradesh’s vision of becoming a model state for AI-enabled, citizen-first governance.