Telangana Unveils ‘Aikam’ at Davos to Drive Population-Scale AI Innovation

At the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026, the Telangana government officially launched Aikam, its flagship autonomous, unified, and globally oriented AI innovation entity, marking a major step in the state’s ambition to emerge as a global artificial intelligence powerhouse.

The launch ceremony was chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and attended by IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, underscoring the government’s high-level commitment to AI-led economic transformation.

Positioning Telangana Among the World’s Top Innovation Hubs

India’s First Population-Scale AI Execution Platform

According to an official release, Aikam has been institutionalised to position Telangana among the world’s Top 20 innovation hubs. It has been described as India’s first-of-its-kind innovation entity designed to move beyond experimentation and translate AI ambition into real-world execution at population scale.

Unlike conventional innovation labs, Aikam is structured as a unified global platform that integrates policy, talent, infrastructure, research, and capital under one institutional framework.

Core Capabilities and Strategic Focus of Aikam

Unified AI Ecosystem for Workforce, Startups and Research

Aikam brings together a “powerful set of capabilities” under a single framework, including:

• Development of a globally competitive AI workforce through mass upskilling initiatives.

• Acceleration of AI-first startups across sectors.

• Deepening research–industry collaboration to move innovations from labs to large-scale deployment.

These efforts are supported by population-scale datasets, highly efficient compute infrastructure, and a dedicated AI Fund-of-Funds, enabling sustainable AI innovation and commercialisation.

Telangana’s Execution-First AI Vision

CM Revanth Reddy on Responsible AI Deployment

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy emphasised the state’s execution-driven approach to artificial intelligence.

“Telangana believes in execution, not experimentation. Aikam institutionalises our execution-first approach by converging existing and upcoming initiatives under a unified global entity. As the world moves from AI pilots to deployment at scale, we invite global partners to anchor their proving ground in Telangana—where AI is deployed responsibly, governed transparently, and scaled with trust,” he said.

The statement reflects Telangana’s intent to become a trusted destination for large-scale AI deployment, aligned with global standards of transparency and governance.

From Ideas to Global Solutions

Clear Execution Pathway for AI Innovation

IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu noted that Aikam provides a structured pipeline that enables AI ideas to evolve into globally scalable solutions, bridging the gap between innovation and impact.

Aikam’s design prioritises speed, accountability, and measurable outcomes, aligning with global trends where governments are increasingly expected to operationalise AI at scale rather than limit it to pilot projects.

Global Collaboration at the Core of Aikam

Strategic MoUs Signed at Davos

A key pillar of Aikam is its emphasis on deep, symbiotic collaboration across global enterprises, research institutions, and academia, allowing it to function as a truly global AI innovation entity.

This approach was reinforced through the signing of multiple strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) at Davos, spanning the entire AI value chain:

• World-class skilling and credentialing.

• Highly efficient compute infrastructure.

• Breakthrough applied research.

• Design-led, deployment-ready AI solutions.

Key Global Partnerships Announced

Pearson and DMCC Join Hands with Telangana

Under some of the key MoUs:

• Pearson intends to anchor a globally benchmarked AI Academy focused on world-class skilling and credentialing.

• DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) plans to activate high-impact, cross-border startup corridors between Telangana and Dubai, strengthening international startup mobility and investment flows.

Building a Global AI Institution

Aikam’s Long-Term Institutional Vision

Sanjay Kumar, Special Chief Secretary (ITE&C), highlighted Aikam’s global ambition from day one.

“Aikam is being built as a global institution from the outset. The MoUs signed at Davos represent our first concrete steps in establishing an ecosystem that is global, execution-focused in its design, and grounded in collaboration,” he stated.

Conclusion

With the launch of Aikam at WEF 2026, Telangana has signalled a decisive shift from AI experimentation to large-scale execution. By integrating workforce development, startup acceleration, research collaboration, and global partnerships under a single institutional umbrella, Aikam positions the state as a serious contender among the world’s leading AI innovation hubs. As governments worldwide race to operationalise artificial intelligence responsibly, Telangana’s execution-first model could serve as a blueprint for population-scale AI deployment in emerging economies.