Telangana launches ‘Aikam’ at Davos to scale AI adoption, skilling and responsible AI
Telangana unveiled Aikam, a new autonomous body pitched as a global proving ground for deploying AI at scale. Launched at Davos, the initiative includes skilling plans, startup support and partnerships, along with a Responsible AI Standard and Ethics index intended to promote trustworthy, transparent AI deployment.
A new platform to move AI from pilots to large-scale use
The Telangana government has launched “Aikam”, an autonomous entity designed to accelerate artificial intelligence innovation and deployment at scale. The initiative was unveiled on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, positioning Telangana as a place where AI solutions can be built, tested and rolled out across sectors.
According to the announcement, Aikam aims to help Telangana emerge among the world’s top AI hubs by combining practical execution with governance and trust. The state’s pitch emphasises moving beyond small pilots to population-scale deployment, backed by institutional coordination and clearer rules for responsible use.
Skilling, startups and computing support
Aikam’s planned capabilities include large-scale workforce upskilling, support for startups developing AI-based products, and deeper collaboration between academia, research institutions and industry. The state also indicated backing through access to public datasets and improved computing infrastructure, as well as an AI “Fund-of-Funds” framework to catalyse investment.
Officials signalled that the goal is to shorten the gap between research and real-world outcomes—encouraging applied work that can be deployed in governance and in industry, rather than remaining confined to labs or proofs of concept.
Responsible AI signals: RAISE Index and international MoUs
Alongside Aikam, Telangana launched the first edition of its Responsible AI Standard and Ethics (RAISE) Index, described as a framework to measure responsible practices across the AI lifecycle. The government’s messaging strongly leaned on transparency and trust, reflecting global concerns on bias, safety, privacy and accountability in AI systems.
A set of international MoUs were also announced around skilling, startup linkages, applied research and design-led deployment. Collectively, the announcements position Telangana’s strategy as both pro-innovation and pro-governance—seeking to attract partners who want scale while also demanding predictable oversight.