The Karnataka government on Friday announced a series of initiatives to boost AI education and research and technology infrastructure in the state while presenting the Budget 2026-27.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government will introduce an AI-based personal digital tutor for students in classes VIII to XII in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad.
“In collaboration with IIT Dharwad, a personalized digital learning facility for self-learning using AI technology will be provided to around 12.28 lakh students from classes 8 to 12 at an estimated cost. $“Rs 5 crore,” Siddaramaiah said.
The state also announced plans to establish a robotics and artificial intelligence campus titled “Bangalore Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Zone” during the current year as part of the AI and Robotics Technology Park initiative at the Indian Institute of Science. The campus will be developed in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization and Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited.
A Center of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence will also be set up at IIT Raichur with allocation $5 Crores.
The government said additional research initiatives in the field of artificial intelligence will be set up in Bengaluru through two centers of excellence to be set up in partnership with the Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Center for Cellular and Molecular Platforms and NASSCOM at a total cost of $16 Crores.
In addition to projects focused on artificial intelligence, the budget also included investments in emerging technologies and scientific research. $Rs 4 crore will be allocated for the development of Advanced Surgical Assisted Robot, or COBOT, in collaboration with the International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences. The system aims to support improved outcomes in neurosurgical procedures.
Infrastructure at the Center for Human Genetics will also be developed with allocation $20 crore to house the newly established Institute for Advanced Genome Editing and Gene Therapy along with other biotechnology laboratories.
The country will also begin implementing the first phase of its quantitative roadmap, privatization $Rs 10 crore over five years to train specialized human resources needed for the quantum technology sector.
A detailed project report has been submitted to the central government for setting up the Science City at an estimated cost $233 crore in Adinarayana Hosahalli in Bengaluru. The state said it will proceed with designing and developing the project once approval is obtained.
Highlighting Karnataka’s position in the technology sector, Siddaramaiah said the state accounts for 43% of India’s IT exports. Under the Information Technology Policy 2025-2030, software exports are expected to reach… $11.5 million crore by 2030
Siddaramaiah also said that Karnataka has moved from 21st to 14th position globally in startup ecosystem and currently hosts over 18,000 active startups. “Bengaluru also ranks fifth among the world’s top 50 AI cities for AI and big data,” Siddaramaiah said.
