VIJAYAWADA: On Tuesday, a video conference between the Andhra Pradesh government and senior executives from Google and YouTube marked a significant milestone in the state’s digital evolution.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu led the discussion, focusing on potential strategic partnerships to propel the state's technological growth. Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, along with top Google and YouTube officials—including Neal Mohan, Global CEO of YouTube; Sanjay Gupta, President of the Asia Pacific Region at Google; Leslie Miller, Global Vice-President of YouTube; and Sreenivasa Reddy, Managing Director of Government Affairs, India—participated in the meeting.
The talks centered on opportunities for collaboration in areas such as enhancing digital infrastructure, advancing skill development, and using technology for more effective governance.
Naidu emphasized the state’s commitment to creating a dynamic environment for technological innovation. “Andhra Pradesh is on the path to becoming India’s digital hub, and we are excited about the potential of partnering with global leaders like Google and YouTube,” he stated.
Google representatives praised Andhra Pradesh’s progress in digital infrastructure and reaffirmed their dedication to fostering innovation and skills development in India.
Potential YouTube Academy
In addition to discussing the establishment of a YouTube Academy in Amaravati, both parties agreed to explore further opportunities for collaboration. An MoU is expected to be signed between the AP government and Google under the initiative ‘AI for Andhra Pradesh, Powered by Google’.
This extensive partnership will focus on AI applications in agriculture, healthcare, and sustainability, as well as skill development, startup ecosystems, AI workforce training, MSME support through digital credit, and AI-enhanced governance.
Later, the Chief Minister shared on his X account, “I was pleased to connect with @YouTube Global CEO Mr. @nealmohan and @Google APAC Head Mr. Sanjay Gupta online today. We discussed the potential establishment of a YouTube Academy in Andhra Pradesh in collaboration with local partners, aimed at fostering AI, content development, skill training, and certification programs. We also explored avenues for technical support for the Media City initiative in Amaravati.”