AP govt to turn officials into AI champions to drive digital governance

The Andhra Pradesh government is identifying Artificial Intelligence Champions from 20 state departments during an AI workshop organised in partnership with the Wadhwani Centre for Government Digital Transformation (WGDT), official sources said.

The selected departments will cover 80% of government operations with AI and the officials will convert 100–150 AI projects into Proofs of Concept (PoCs) and scalable solutions.

"Departments will nominate senior officers as AI Champions, supported by AI Catalysts," Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) Secretary Bhaskar Katamaneni said during the workshop's second day, according to a press release.

These officers will undergo a structured four-day training programme with support from WGDT and the information technology (IT) Department to solve department-specific challenges through AI.

Inspired by National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), this initiative aims to build a new cadre of AI-driven leaders within the public administration framework for digital transformation.

Workshops, mentorship sessions, and real-time project development will empower each team, including directors and enthusiastic mid-level officers trained to implement AI innovations.

This strategic move underlines the state's vision of ‘Minimum Government – Maximum Governance’ through ethical, efficient, and impactful use of emerging technologies in governance.