A ₹10,732 crore project has been launched to transform Lucknow into India's first AI City, with extensive use of artificial intelligence in traffic, healthcare, and education.
Lucknow Smart City: The foundation of India's digital future is set to become even ber. The central and state governments have jointly taken a historic step towards developing Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, as the country's first Artificial Intelligence (AI) City. With a substantial funding of ₹10,732 crore sanctioned in March 2024 under the India AI Mission, this project has commenced. It will not only establish Uttar Pradesh as a technology hub but also provide a new direction to India's digital roadmap.
AI City: The Next Milestone in India's Digital Revolution
This project is poised to shape the technological future not only of Uttar Pradesh but of the entire country. It is considered a decisive step towards making Uttar Pradesh the next IT hub of the nation. By transforming Lucknow into India's first AI City, the technical infrastructure will be strengthened, and this initiative will also lead to significant improvements in areas such as employment, education, and security.
How Will the Funding Be Utilized?
Under this mega-project, the following major tasks are being undertaken:
- Installation of 10,000 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), which are essential for processing large amounts of data and training AI models.
- An advanced AI Innovation Center, providing startups, researchers, and students with opportunities to work on modern technologies.
- Planning for the development of multi-modal language models, which will create cutting-edge AI tools for Indian languages.
AI Policy and Vision 2047 Roadmap
The state government will soon propose a comprehensive AI policy, keeping Vision 2047 at its core, which will promote the practical application of AI in areas such as education, employment, law and order, agriculture, health, and urban development.
From Smart Traffic to Prison Surveillance
An AI-based traffic management system will be implemented in Lucknow, which will address traffic problems through real-time data analysis, camera surveillance, and automatic traffic signaling. This technology will also be used for prison surveillance, security in crowded areas, and city sanitation. Notably, Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is already moving towards an AI-enabled traffic system, demonstrating that digital transformation is rapidly progressing in Uttar Pradesh.
Skilling Revolution under the ‘AI Pragya’ Scheme
In parallel with the AI City project, under the ‘AI Pragya’ scheme run by the Uttar Pradesh government, more than 10 lakh youths, village heads, teachers, government employees, and farmers have been trained in AI, machine learning, data science, and cyber security. Tech companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Google, and Guvi are partners in this program. This ensures that technology is not limited to urban areas but also extends to villages and small towns.
The Role of AI in Healthcare
Along with Lucknow, the use of AI is increasing in healthcare services in other districts of Uttar Pradesh as well. The country's first AI-based breast cancer screening center has been started in Fatehpur district, which is helping women detect the disease at an early stage. Now, similar centers will be established in Lucknow as well, so that common citizens can get world-class healthcare services.
Changes in Urban Development Too
Under the AI City Project, the smart city model will be further strengthened, which includes:
- Smart governance portal, where citizen grievances will be tracked by AI.
- AI-based sensors and tracking systems for waste management.
- Automated monitoring and reporting in water and energy management.
