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Bharti Enterprises Vice Chairman Rakesh Bharti Mittal on Tuesday said that the upcoming Google Cloud India AI Hub in Visakhapatnam will position the city as a key gateway to the "intelligence age," highlighting the growing importance of digital infrastructure in India's growth story.
Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony, Mittal highlighted that the project builds on decades of telecom and digital investments in the region, recalling the launch of Airtel services in Andhra Pradesh in 1999. "As we broke ground this morning on what will be India's largest mega AI hub, I am reminded of a very special event back in 1999, when Airtel was launched in Andhra Pradesh at the hands of Shri Chandra Babu Naidu, the Chief Minister. At that time, we made a commitment to build telecommunications connectivity, and as we moved on, a very strong, digital hub, digital infrastructure to meet the Prime Minister's vision of Digital India," he said. He emphasised Andhra Pradesh's reputation for policy clarity, speed of execution, and long-term vision, noting that these factors have enabled large-scale transformational projects. Mittal added that Visakhapatnam, historically a gateway for maritime trade, will now evolve into a global hub for digital intelligence and advanced technologies. At the core of the project is Nxtra by Airtel, the company's data centre arm, which currently operates 14 core campuses and over 120 data centres across India. The upcoming facility is expected to be supported by significant renewable energy capacity, aligning with sustainability goals and India's net-zero ambitions. He also noted that the project will include the development of a robust digital ecosystem, including cable landing infrastructure, international subsea connectivity, and enhanced fibre networks to strengthen India's digital backbone. Highlighting the transformative role of artificial intelligence, Mittal said, "AI has changed technology by digitising cognition itself. As we solve for efficiency and productivity, AI is strengthening the ability for personalisation at scale. This will have the capacity to address systemic issues. This story cannot be told without India. AI is going to be one of the most important pillars of India's growth story, not just in the coming decade but for many decades ahead." Reaffirming commitment to the project, he said the consortium of partners will work towards building a world-class facility and supporting the state's vision of attracting investments and driving economic growth. (ANI)
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