IBM has inaugurated its AI GovTech Innovation Center in Lucknow, reinforcing its commitment to advancing AI as core infrastructure for modern governance with tangible impact.
As governments worldwide navigate rising citizen expectations, increasing regulatory complexity and exponential data growth, AI is becoming mission-critical to public sector performance. The Center will serve as a collaborative platform to design, validate and scale trusted AI solutions that enhance productivity, transparency and service delivery, with models built for replication and broader adoption.
The Center was inaugurated by Shri Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in the presence of Arvind Krishna, IBM Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, IBM, Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India & South Asia, along with Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and other dignitaries from the Government of Uttar Pradesh and IBM.
“AI will define the next era of government effectiveness and economic competitiveness. Around the world, and especially in India, we are seeing governments move decisively from exploration to execution. It is encouraging to see this level of openness to responsible AI adoption,” said Arvind Krishna, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, IBM. “The Lucknow center brings together IBM’s global AI leadership and a strong local talent ecosystem, with proximity to leading engineering and academic institutions. Together, this enables us to translate AI ambition into measurable public impact,” he added.
At the event, IBM signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to accelerate AI-led governance initiatives aligned with its long-term development vision.
The collaboration with the Department of IT & Electronics will focus on developing high-impact AI use cases through the Center while strengthening digital and AI readiness across departments.
Working with the Directorate of School Education, IBM will introduce an AI Literacy program for students in grades 6 to 12 and their teachers, equipping them with foundational knowledge and hands-on experience to build future-ready skills.
IBM’s Lucknow campus also houses a Software Lab contributing to IBM’s global software portfolio and an IBM Consulting FutureNow Center enabling regional talent to deliver transformative projects for clients worldwide.
In addition, IBM is collaborating with leading institutes such as the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur to co-create scalable solutions across priority areas in the state. One such collaboration was formalized in July 2025, when IBM joined hands with the Airawat Research Foundation, the Center of Excellence in AI for Sustainable Cities at IIT Kanpur to deploy AI-powered solutions aimed at monitoring and improving air quality.
