Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, Jul 15: In a major push towards embracing future technologies, the Goa government has constituted a high-powered Artificial Intelligence (AI) council to guide the state on a six-month roadmap to accelerate AI adoption. The council will include CEOs of global companies and is expected to be fully formed in the next six months.
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant announced the initiative, stating, “We aim to introduce AI at the school level and explore its potential across sectors like tourism, governance, and cyber security.” He added that Goa aspires to lead the country in implementing AI-driven governance and infrastructure.
The roadmap will concentrate on key pillars such as AI skill development, funding needs, government policy, and infrastructure creation, with a broader goal of attracting AI-first startups to the state. “We will scale up startup accelerator programmes to support this mission,” said Sawant.
The Department of Information Technology, Electronics, and Communications (DITE&C) has roped in experts from McLaren Strategic Systems, American firm Omnumi, and former senior executives from PayTM Money to shape the Goa AI Vision 2027.
“We had our second brainstorming session with global experts to lay down a clear vision for AI in Goa,” said IT Minister Rohan Khaunte. He added that the state's first AI initiative—a chatbot integrated with GoaOnline and WhatsApp—is already providing public services through conversational AI.
Goa AI Mission 2027 will focus on creating a thriving AI ecosystem by nurturing startups, encouraging AI skilling, and adopting cutting-edge AI solutions. Academic institutions like BITS Pilani Goa and Goa Engineering College have also been roped in to help draft the policy and train talent.
Goa Technology Association president Mangirish Salelkar revealed that out of 350 IT firms in the state, nearly 20 are already dedicated to AI. “The vision is to encourage more Goan startups to enter the AI space,” he said.
Khaunte emphasized that the ultimate goal of the mission is job creation for Goans in the AI sector through a collaborative approach involving startups, academia, industry, and government departments.