As India accelerates toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, technology-led governance is increasingly becoming central to administrative reform and inclusive growth. Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future ambition but a present governance imperative, reshaping how states deliver services, design policy, and strengthen accountability at scale. In this context, Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka, speaks with Muskan Jaiswal and Garima Pant of Elets News Network about Karnataka’s structured approach to institutionalising AI. She discusses the role of the Karnataka AI Cell, integrated data ecosystems, real-time governance dashboards, and the importance of safe, trusted and responsible AI aligned with national frameworks such as the IndiaAI Mission. Edited excerpts:
Viksit Bharat 2047 places technology-led governance at the core of India’s development agenda. How should Artificial Intelligence be strategically deployed across government to enhance administrative efficiency, transparency and inclusive service delivery at a population scale?
Artificial Intelligence must be positioned not as a peripheral technology initiative, but as a core governance capability that strengthens institutional effectiveness, enhances administrative agility and enables inclusive service delivery at scale. In Karnataka, we are consciously embedding AI within core governance systems to transition from reactive administration to anticipatory and responsive governance.
From an administrative standpoint, AI is enabling automation of routine processes, intelligent workflow orchestration and AI-assisted analysis, significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing service delivery timelines. This allows government institutions to focus more effectively on higher-value functions such as policy design, programme oversight and citizen engagement. I see AI as a force multiplier that enhances institutional productivity while improving consistency and quality of service delivery.
AI is also strengthening transparency and accountability across government. Real-time analytics, AI-enabled monitoring platforms and governance dashboards provide continuous visibility into programme implementation, operational performance and service delivery outcomes. These capabilities enable leadership to identify implementation gaps early, intervene in a timely manner and ensure stronger governance oversight.
Equally critical is AI’s role in advancing inclusive governance. We are leveraging AI-enabled multilingual interfaces, local language processing and assisted service platforms to improve accessibility and ensure equitable access to public services across diverse citizen segments. This is particularly important in a state as large and diverse as Karnataka, where inclusive access must remain central to governance.
Our experience across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, urban governance and mobility demonstrates that when deployed responsibly, AI can significantly improve governance outcomes and citizen experience. As we scale adoption, we remain firmly committed to strong data governance, ethical safeguards and human oversight to ensure trust, fairness and accountability. By embedding AI within institutional processes and aligning with India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, Karnataka is advancing toward a more responsive, transparent and citizen-centric governance model aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The IndiaAI Mission positions AI as a national public good, built on India’s Digital Public Infrastructure. How can AI-enabled decision-support systems, integrated data platforms and real-time governan ce dash b o ard s b e institutionalised to support predictive, evidence-based policymaking across sectors?
Institutionalizing AI-enabled governance requires deliberate integration of decision-support systems, interoperable data platforms and real-time monitoring frameworks into the core functioning of government. In Karnataka, we are focused on building durable institutional and technological foundations that enable data-driven and predictive governance
We are strengthening integrated and secure data ecosystems that enable interoperability across departments while maintaining the highest standards of privacy, security and accountability. These platforms allow AI systems to analyse cross-sectoral data, forecast demand, identify emerging risks and generate actionable insights that support evidence-based policymaking and more effective programme implementation.
AI-enabled governance dashboards are transforming how leadership monitors and manages public programmes. They provide real-time visibility into service delivery performance, infrastructure utilisation and programme outcomes, enabling timely interventions and significantly improving administrative responsiveness. This enhances both operational efficiency and strategic decision-making.
A key institutional enabler in this journey has been the establishment of the Karnataka AI Cell, which serves as the nodal mechanism guiding AI adoption across the State. The AI Cell provides strategic direction, defines governance standards, supports departments in identifying high-impact use cases and ensures alignment with national initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission. Importantly, it is also building institutional capacity and ensuring that AI adoption is responsible, scalable and sustainable.
Through these measures, we are embedding AI within governance systems in a structured manner, enabling predictive policymaking, improving programme effectiveness and strengthening governance outcomes.
Karnataka has often served as a l aborator y for governance innovation, backed by strong digital capacity and institutional readiness. From a policy standpoint, what lessons from Karnataka’s experience can help other states operationalise AI in a manner that is scalable, interoperable and aligned with national frameworks such as the IndiaAI Mission?
Karnataka’s experience demonstrates that successful operationalization of AI in governance requires strong institutional leadership, clear governance frameworks and alignment with national priorities.
One of the most important steps we have taken is the establishment of the Karnataka AI Cell as a dedicated institutional anchor for AI adoption. This has enabled coordinated implementation, defined common standards and ensured that AI adoption progresses in a structured and scalable manner across departments.
Another key lesson is the importance of building on existing Digital Public Infrastructure and integrating AI into core governance systems rather than creating isolated technology silos. This ensures interoperability, scalability and optimal utilization of public investments while enabling seamless integration across departments.
We have also adopted a focused, use-case-driven approach, prioritizing applications that address critical governance challenges such as service delivery optimization, programme monitoring, citizen engagement and policy planning. Demonstrating measurable governance impact has been essential in building institutional confidence and enabling wider adoption.
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Equally important has been our strong ecosystem partnerships with academia, startups and industry. These collaborations have accelerated innovation, strengthened technical capacity and enabled government to leverage emerging technologies effectively.
These lessons reinforce that institutional mechanisms, strategic clarity, ecosystem collaboration and alignment with national frameworks are essential for enabling scalable and sustainable AI adoption across states.
As AI systems increasingly influence public decisions, trust becomes a strategic imperative. How should governments translate the principles of safe, trusted and responsible AI into enforceable standards and institutional practices, while still enabling innovation aligned with the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047?
Trust is fundamental to the adoption of AI in governance and governments must establish clear and enforceable governance frameworks that ensure transparency, accountability, fairness and protection of citizen rights.
In Karnataka, we are strengthening institutional safeguards across the AI lifecycle, including standards for data governance, model validation, auditability and oversight. Human oversight remains central to all AI-enabled processes to ensure that AI augments administrative capability while preserving accountability and institutional responsibility.
Transparency is equally important in building public confidence. Citizens must have clarity on how AI is used in governance and appropriate grievance redressal mechanisms must be in place. Responsible AI principles such as fairness, explainability, privacy protection and cybersecurity must be embedded at the design and implementation stage.
The Karnataka AI Cell plays a critical role in guiding responsible AI adoption, establishing standards and supporting departments in implementing safeguards. At the same time, we are fostering innovation through structured engagement with academia, startups and industry, ensuring that innovation progresses within clearly defined governance and ethical frameworks.
Our approach is to ensure that innovation and responsibility advance together, enabling the State to leverage AI while maintaining public trust and institutional integrity.
India’s federal structure offers a distinctive advantage in advancing AI-led governance. How can Centre–State coordination, inter- state collaboration and national policy frameworks ensure equitable, consistent and mission-aligned AI adoption across regions and sectors?
India’s federal structure provides a powerful framework for accelerating AI adoption by combining national strategic direction with state-level innovation and implementation.
National initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission provide shared infrastructure, governance standards and strategic alignment in areas such as interoperability, data governance and responsible AI adoption. This creates a strong foundation upon which states can build and scale AI initiatives.
States play a critical role in operationalizing AI by embedding it within governance systems based on local priorities and citizen needs. Karnataka’s experience demonstrates that dedicated institutional mechanisms, such as the Karnataka AI Cell, are essential for ensuring coordinated, scalable and outcome-driven implementation.
Centre–State coordination and inter- state collaboration will be critical to ensure equitable access to infrastructure, technical expertise and implementation frameworks. Sharing best practices, use cases and governance models can significantly accelerate adoption across states and reduce duplication of effort.
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By combining strong national frameworks with effective state-level leadership and implementation, India is uniquely positioned to build a scalable, inclusive and mission-aligned AI ecosystem that strengthens governance outcomes and advances the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
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