Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has made it mandatory for its officers to undergo training on artificial intelligence (AI) in view of its growing application in administrative matters and also to make interface with the citizens easier.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja on Tuesday issued a directive, asking government officials to gain working knowledge in AI through free online courses available on various platforms within three months to build a future-ready, digitally-efficient administrative workforce.
This move towards digital transformation is intended at enhancing technological capabilities of the state’s administrative machinery and prepare officials for the growing role of AI in governance.
In a letter to additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, secretaries of different departments and district collectors, the Chief Secretary noted that it aligns with the state government’s broader goal of making work of di
fferent government departments easier.
The top bureaucrat further stated it is imperative that officers in the state administration build a working knowledge of the principles, tools and applications of AI. “With the emergence of new technologies, it is increasingly evident that new innovations such as AI will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of governance. AI has the potential to bring transformative changes in how government functions — from making it easy for citizens to interface with govt, to predictive analysis, intelligent grievance redressal systems, planning, and monitoring service delivery outcomes,” read the letter.
Understanding these technologies is essential not only for informed decision-making but also for designing citizen-centric policies, managing large-scale data systems and enhancing administrative responsiveness, it added.
Officers have been asked to enrol for free online courses on iGOT Karmayogi portal and other well-known platforms — https://ai-for-all.in, www.deeplearning.ai/courses/ai-for-everyone, www.elementsofai.com. “All departments are requested to issue necessary instructions to the officers under their control to mandatorily enrol in and complete at least one foundational course in artificial intelligence. These courses are available free of cost on reputable platforms and are designed to offer both conceptual clarity and applied perspectives,” Ahuja said.
The departments have been advised to designate a nodal officer to oversee implementation, facilitate enrolment and ensure timely compliance of the order.