Google has partnered with the Maharashtra government to collaborate and drive innovative and scalable solutions in key sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, sustainability, education, and startups.

The firm said it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the same, which will allow the government to take advantage of Google's leadership and tech know-how in artificial intelligence to unlock new possibilities in land record management, disease detection, urban environment resilience and AI training.

Deputy chief minister, Shri Devendra Fadnavis says, “Maharashtra is committed to AI-driven development and our partnership with Google marks a significant milestone in this journey.”

“This collaboration will empower our citizens with critical future-ready skills, revolutionize essential sectors like healthcare and agriculture, and create a thriving environment for the Maharashtra AI startups through the AI Center of Excellence at IIIT Nagpur. We see AI as the key to unlocking a more prosperous, equitable, and sustainable future for the State and are excited to partner with Google on this journey,” adds Fadnavi.

Google and the government will work together under the Memorandum of Understanding to provide startups with guidance, socializing, and hands-on demonstrations with Google experts and industry leaders, spanning technology, product development, business planning, and more.

Their tech will be used by the government to push forward in crucial areas like education, health care, agriculture, and environmental sustainability.

Sanjay Gupta, country head and VP, Google India says, “Through this collaboration, our aim is to empower citizens, create new opportunities, foster a thriving innovation ecosystem, and bring the transformative power of AI to the people of Maharashtra.”

The Google AI Startup program will provide eligible venture-backed AI startups with Cloud credits, technical education, and business guidance to propel their growth.

Additionally, Google Cloud's artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies will be explored to enable the development of pilot solutions to process citizen questions and feedback, for government scheme access, and an AI-powered pilot for farmer assistance for Maharashtra.