Mumbai, Dec 30 : India will get its first dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) university in Maharashtra with the state government announcing the launch of the landmark institution in early 2025 as part of its push to emerge as a global hub for AI education, research and innovation.
The proposed university will function as a comprehensive Centre of Excellence, integrating AI education and skill development with advanced research, innovation, policy formulation and ethics, while forging strong partnerships between academia and industry. The initiative is being positioned as a flagship project under Maharashtra’s strategy to attract global AI talent and investments.
“This initiative is being undertaken as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Digital India mission. The university will not only focus on education but also on developing new AI-related technologies,” Maharashtra IT Minister Ashish Shelar said.
The AI university will focus on applications across key sectors such as healthcare, agriculture and manufacturing, along with emerging fields including data analytics, machine learning and robotics. Officials said the emphasis will be on practical, industry-oriented training to prepare students for future careers in leading technology companies.
“Students will be taught AI skills and practical techniques, preparing them for future work in large companies,” Shelar added.
To steer the project, the Maharashtra government has constituted a high-level expert task force chaired by the Principal Secretary of the state’s IT Department. The panel includes the directors of IIT Mumbai and IIM Mumbai, senior executives from Google India, L&T and the Mahindra Group, officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and representatives of the Rajiv Gandhi Science & Technology Commission.
The task force has already met twice to finalise the roadmap for establishing the university and to ensure alignment with national technology policies and global best practices. “The task force will ensure proper implementation of the AI university project and work towards establishing it as a globally recognised institution,” an official statement said.
According to the state government, the university will go beyond conventional academics to function as an innovation and research hub, supporting the development of real-world AI solutions. “The objective of the AI university is to promote education, research and development in artificial intelligence and related fields, and to create new technologies by training young talent,” the government said.
Once operational, the institution is expected to significantly strengthen India’s position in the global AI landscape and play a key role in shaping the country’s leadership in emerging technologies.
