The Karnataka government has established a Committee on Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop a policy framework for the safe and transparent integration of AI into government systems that directly affect citizens. Chaired by Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder of Infosys, and co-chaired by N Manjula, secretary of the department of electronics, information technology, biotechnology and science & technology, the committee includes a diverse group of experts from industry, academia, policy, and law.
The committee convened its inaugural meeting in Bengaluru on Thursday, discussing the rapidly evolving AI landscape and the necessity for governance frameworks that ensure the responsible deployment of technology. According to an official statement, “The committee will develop a responsible AI policy and implementation roadmap for Karnataka, aimed at enabling innovation while ensuring that AI systems deployed across government are safe, fair, transparent, and accountable.”
Members of the panel are tasked with submitting an interim report within 60 days and a final set of recommendations within 90 days. This report will outline a comprehensive policy framework, a risk classification system for AI applications used in governance, and an implementation roadmap for adoption across various government departments.
Among its objectives, the committee will establish responsible AI principles and policy guidelines tailored for the state, as well as a framework for categorizing AI applications based on their potential risk and impact. Furthermore, it will identify AI practices that should be either prohibited or restricted, such as social scoring of citizens, unlawful surveillance, discriminatory profiling, and automated decision-making in critical situations without adequate human oversight.
The committee is also expected to recommend safeguards and review mechanisms for high-risk AI applications across sectors including welfare delivery, healthcare, education, policing, recruitment, financial decision-making, and public safety. Additional topics under discussion include data governance, privacy safeguards, cybersecurity protections, and the implications of generative AI and social media technologies. The creation of procurement guidelines and vendor due diligence frameworks for government-used AI systems is also on the agenda.
IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge emphasized the initiative’s goal of balancing innovation with necessary safeguards as Karnataka expands its AI ecosystem. “The Responsible AI Committee brings together leading experts from industry, academia, and policy to help shape a governance framework that promotes innovation while safeguarding transparency, accountability, and citizen trust,” he stated. He added that this initiative aims to position Karnataka as a leader in developing a responsible AI ecosystem.
Gopalakrishnan welcomed the government’s efforts, asserting, “If we can leverage this opportunity effectively, Karnataka can become the first state in the country to develop a comprehensive framework for responsible AI, one that drives better citizen services, creates the jobs of the 21st century, and strengthens our innovation ecosystem. Thoughtfully and responsibly, we can accelerate the growth of the economy significantly.”
Separately, in the Karnataka legislative assembly, Kharge indicated that the state is reviewing its data center policy due to growing concerns about water and energy consumption. Responding to queries from BJP MLA Dheeraj Muniraj, he noted that 32 private data centers are currently operational in the state. “We already have a data center policy, which we’re reviewing,” he explained.
Kharge acknowledged the necessity of data centers for technologies like AI and machine learning, while highlighting their substantial resource requirements. “Data centers are a necessary evil. They are needed for AI, machine learning, and emerging technologies, but they also consume significant amounts of water and energy,” he remarked. He elaborated that a one-megawatt data center requires about ₹70 crore in investment and about one acre of land, with an annual water consumption of 25 million liters per megawatt.
Looking ahead, Kharge mentioned the government’s examination of a “sustainable data center” policy, particularly focusing on coastal regions such as Mangaluru for future facilities. “Our focus is on Mangaluru and the coastal areas. Hyperscale data centers won’t suit Bengaluru, which doesn’t have a port and faces a shortage of water,” he noted, stating that facilities requiring more than 40 megawatts of power are classified as hyperscale.
In addition, he has reached out to the telecom ministry to seek support for a subsea cable landing point in Mangaluru, while discussions with private companies are ongoing. Muniraj raised concerns about Bengaluru potentially losing data center investments due to the absence of dedicated parks, suggesting the establishment of facilities in the proposed KWIN City near Doddaballapur, where about 6,000 acres are currently being acquired.
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