Innovation centre to boost digital governance

IBM has inaugurated its AI GovTech Innovation Center in Lucknow, strengthening its commitment to advancing artificial intelligence as core infrastructure for modern governance. The facility aims to help governments enhance productivity, transparency, and citizen service delivery through scalable and trusted AI solutions. 

The centre was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of the state, Yogi Adityanath, in the presence of Arvind Krishna, Sandip Patel, and Manindra Agrawal, along with senior officials from the Government of Uttar Pradesh and IBM. 

The centre will function as a collaborative platform to design, validate, and scale AI-driven governance models that can be replicated across departments and regions. As governments face rising citizen expectations, regulatory complexity and growing data volumes, AI is increasingly seen as mission-critical to public sector performance.

During the event, IBM signed two Memorandums of Understanding with the Government of Uttar Pradesh. The first, with the Department of IT & Electronics, focuses on developing high-impact AI use cases and strengthening digital and AI readiness across state departments. The second, with the Directorate of School Education, introduces an AI literacy programme for students from Classes 6 to 12 and teachers to build foundational knowledge and practical skills.

IBM’s Lucknow campus also houses a software lab contributing to the company’s global portfolio and a Consulting FutureNow Center supporting regional and international projects.

The company is also collaborating with the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, including a partnership with the Airawat Research Foundation’s Center of Excellence in AI for Sustainable Cities to deploy AI-powered solutions aimed at monitoring and improving air quality across the state.