Microsoft, TG govt to train 50,000 govt school students in artificial intelligence
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday inaugurated a state-of-the-art Microsoft campus in Gachibowli, marking the company's 25th anniversary in Hyderabad.
The event, attended by IT minister D. Sridhar Babu, highlighted the expansion of Microsoft's presence in the city with the opening of a 1.1 million square foot, LEED-certified building designed to house 2,500 additional employees.
Microsoft also plans to hire an additional 4,800 IT professionals in the new campus, further solidifying Hyderabad's role as a major global IT hub. Microsoft unveiled an initiative to train 1.2 lakh persons in artificial intelligence in collaboration with the Telangana government.
The new facility is Microsoft’s largest R&D hub outside the United States and reflects the company’s deepened commitment to Hyderabad and India’s innovation ecosystem. The expansion continues to emphasise Microsoft’s growing footprint in the region, where over half of the company’s 20,000 employees in India are based in Hyderabad.
The Chief Minister expressed his happiness over the expansion of Microsoft’s presence in Hyderabad, and said that “Hyderabad and Microsoft have grown together, and as a proud representative of this state, I can say with certainty this is just the beginning. The world considers Hyderabad as a technological powerhouse that nurtures innovation and attracts global talent. With partners like Microsoft, Hyderabad’s future would be even brighter.”
Stressing the importance of Artificial Intelligence, Revanth Reddy said, "The future belongs to Artificial Intelligence. Through our partnership with Microsoft and the launch of the Advanta(I)ge Telangana programme, we are introducing AI education in 500 government schools and promoting AI for good governance and public services."
Minister D. Sridhar Babu said, “The new campus and the several AI-related initiatives launched by Microsoft reflect their commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation in the state.”
Rajiv Kumar, the managing director and president of Microsoft India Development Centre, highlighted the company’s ongoing partnership with Telangana, and stated, “This expansion will provide state-of-the-art infrastructure to our teams, enabling them to innovate and develop next-generation AI products.”
As part of the AI training initiative, Microsoft will launch three AI programmes, including the AI Foundations Academy, which will introduce AI education to 500 government schools, benefiting 50,000 students.
Additionally, the AI-Industry Pro programme will focus on upskilling 20,000 industry professionals, while the AI-Govern initiative will train 50,000 government officials in essential fields such as digital productivity, generative AI, and cybersecurity.
As part of MoU, Microsoft will also establish an AI Centre of Excellence (AICoE) in partnership with the Telangana government. This initiative will focus on the development of cloud-based AI infrastructure, including the creation of an AI Knowledge Hub that will support AI research, case studies, and best practices across the state.
In a move to further bolster Hyderabad’s position as a global leader in AI, Microsoft announced plans to double its investments in hyperscale AI data centres in the region, with an additional Rs 15,000 crore to be invested in the coming years. This investment will make Hyderabad one of Microsoft's largest global data hubs, contributing significantly to the state's emerging AI-driven economy.
These efforts align with Revanth Reddy’s vision to establish Hyderabad as a key AI hub in India and complement the state's AI city initiative and AI roadmap.
An MoU outlining these initiatives was signed in the presence of Revanth Reddy and Sridhar Babu after a recent meeting between Revanth Reddy and Microsoft chairman Satya Nadella.
