AP's quantum valley dream: Stakeholders bat for strengthening ecosystem

Stakeholders in IT and ITES industry while welcoming the decision to establish AI university at Amaravati to give a fillip to the efforts to make India's first Quantum Valley Tech Park operational in an area of 50 acres on January 1, many want serious efforts to strengthen the existing ecosystem to create job-ready techies to meet the growing requirement.

IBM, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and L&T had signed MoU on May 2 to develop the quantum computing industry as part of the State of Andhra Pradesh’s Quantum Valley Tech Park. It will have IBM Quantum System Two installation, with a 156-qubit Heron quantum processor, the largest quantum computer in India. The move is expected to reinforce AP's position at the forefront of India’s growth and transformation with a $2.14 trillion economy by 2047.

The State Government after toying with the idea of locating AI university in Visakhapatnam or Amaravati finally opted for the latter as it is going hand-in-hand to position the State as the leader in the quantum computing domain. The stakeholders feel that now the government should fast-track an AI-powered data park by Google and renewable energy-propelled data park by Adani Group in Visakhapatnam.

Rushikonda IT Park Association (RITPA) vice-president and CEO of Symbiosys Technologies O. Naresh Kumar told Bizz Buzz that the speed of bandwidth should be increased by laying the undersea cable network. Super computers and mini super computers need high-speed data connection.

He recently represented Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to enable all the engineering colleges to procure mini super quantum computers with 50% subsidy from the State Government at rates to be negotiated with IBM.

Naresh Kumar said this will facilitate all colleges connected to quantum valley super computers with very high-speed bandwidth on virtual servers on main machines. The government should also collaborate with TCS, which is setting up a 12,000-seater campus in Visakhapatnam shortly, to retrain faculty of engineering colleges on a full-time basis for 3-4 months in the latest AI tech/data analytics/ cybersecurity.

Naresh Kumar said such training will offer the students and professors access to paid projects from State on analytics research in State data from government hospitals/ welfare schemes and other works. Such initiatives will only help the State giving access/training to quantum computing.

AP Digital Technologies Industry (APDTI) Network Director Sreedhar Kosaraju welcomed the MoU signed with NVIDIA for setting up an AI university at Amaravati.

He said this will lead to the skilling of 10,000 engineering students over next two years making them ready for jobs for tomorrow. He said the initiative will facilitate around 500 AI-focused startups and called for further measures to strengthen the existing ecosystem.