The Tamil Nadu government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google to set up the Tamil Nadu AI Labs at Chennai. The MoU was signed by the investment delegation to the US in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.

The partnership involves the establishment of an AI lab / training hub in Chennai, along with investment promotion agency Guidancine Tamil Nadu. The target is to help skill two million youth of the state in Artificial Intelligence (AI) by aligning with the state’s flagship skilling scheme Naan Mudhalvan.

Sources in the know told businessline that while the form and structure of the AI Lab are yet to be worked out, it is the result of six-seven months of engagement with the tech major. The partnership is also expected to help TN leverage Google’s Start-up Accelerator programmes to improve its deep tech entrepreneurship culture and also make strides in the use of AI in state governance.

Dr TRB Rajaa, Tamil Nadu Minister for Industries, said, “We are happy to collaborate with Google on advanced manufacturing, including the recently announced Made in India Pixel 8 phone being manufactured in Tamil Nadu. The MoU signed today will explore key Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives under the Tamil Nadu AI Labs. Our partnership with Google is a significant step forward towards establishing Tamil Nadu as a thriving AI and advanced electronics manufacturing hub.” 

Chief Minister MK Stalin and TN Industries Minister Dr TRB Rajaa, were present at the MoU exchange between Amit Zavery, GM/VP and Head of Platform of Google Cloud, and Nanda Ramachandran, Vice President, Pixel Business Unit, Google; and Guidance Tamil Nadu, at Google’s Mountain View office.

Google in a statement said that the collaboration will focus on “initiatives in key areas such as AI start-up enablement, skilling, and industrial ecosystem enablement, including MSMEs, to create impactful, scalable AI solutions.”

Amit Zavery, GM/VP, and Head of Platform of Google Cloud, said, “We’re thrilled to partner with the Tamil Nadu Government on their journey towards an AI-powered future. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to fostering inclusive growth and technological progress through AI. We look forward to working together to build a thriving AI ecosystem in Tamil Nadu — one that not only drives innovation and creates opportunities, but also empowers individuals with the skills they need to succeed in the digital age.”

Google already has a large presence in India across Hyderabad and Bengaluru, and this is its first big foray into Tamil Nadu.

Under the MoU, Google will work with Guidance, the Government of Tamil Nadu’s nodal agency for investment promotion and facilitation, to support the development of a robust AI ecosystem. This includes providing access to advanced technologies and resources, with an emphasis on empowering individuals, businesses, and government entities to leverage AI for inclusive growth and progress.

The CM and the investment delegation on Friday visited the offices of Apple, Google and Microsoft in San Francisco and discussed various opportunities and partnerships for the state. “An awe-inspiring visit to the offices of Apple, Google and Microsoft. Discussed various opportunities and exciting partnerships. Determined to strengthen these partnerships and make Tamil Nadu one of the foremost growth engines of Asia,” the CM posted on X on Saturday.

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