Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu engaged in virtual discussions with top executives from Google and YouTube on Tuesday, with an aim to advance Andhra Pradesh's digital landscape. The talks, which included YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, centred around establishing a YouTube Academy in Amaravati.
The state government issued a statement highlighting that the meeting focused on strategic collaborations to bolster the state's technological growth. High-profile participants included Sanjay Gupta, Google’s President for the Asia Pacific Region, Leslie Miller, YouTube’s Vice President, Sreenivasa Reddy, Google India’s Managing Director for Government Affairs and Public Policy, and Union Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
What Was Discussed?
Key topics addressed during the discussions involved enhancing the state's digital infrastructure, advancing skill development programs, and leveraging technology for better governance.
Chief Minister Naidu expressed optimism about the collaboration, stating, "Andhra Pradesh is on a trajectory to become India's digital epicentre, and we are enthused about the prospects of partnering with global pioneers like Google and YouTube."
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'AI For Andhra Pradesh, Powered By Google'
An upcoming memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Andhra Pradesh government and Google will launch the "AI for Andhra Pradesh, Powered by Google" initiative. This partnership aims to integrate AI in sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and sustainability. It also focuses on skill development, fostering startup ecosystems, nurturing an AI workforce, supporting MSMEs through digital credit, and implementing AI-driven governance.
Following the meeting, Naidu shared his enthusiasm on social media, saying, "It was a pleasure to connect with YouTube Global CEO, Mr Neal Mohan, and Google APAC Head, Mr Sanjay Gupta. We discussed setting up a YouTube Academy in Andhra Pradesh to enhance AI, content development, skill development, and certification programs."
Naidu also mentioned that they explored potential technical support for the Media City initiative in Amaravati, aimed at creating a robust media and entertainment hub in the state's capital.