AP Minister Lokesh: Neighboring states feeling ‘Heat’ over Google AI hub

Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Thursday indirectly targeted Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar amid ongoing debates over the $15-billion Google Artificial Intelligence (AI) hub to be set up in Visakhapatnam. The investment, to be rolled out over the next five years, aims to establish a gigawatt-scale AI hub, Google’s largest outside the United States.

In a social media post, Lokesh likened the incoming investment to “spice” and suggested that ministers from neighboring states were already feeling envious of Andhra Pradesh’s development. “Just as Andhra food is known for its spice, our investments are similarly robust. Google has announced a massive $15-billion investment in Visakhapatnam between 2025 and 2030 to create a gigawatt-scale AI hub. This project is expected to generate around 1,88,220 direct and indirect jobs by 2032. Unsurprisingly, some neighboring states have already started feeling the heat,” Lokesh wrote.

The comments come after Shivakumar, on Wednesday, praised Bengaluru as an “unmatched city” in terms of infrastructure, human resources, and innovation, responding to Lokesh’s previous remarks. Speaking to reporters at the Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said, “I will not respond to every statement by Nara Lokesh or anyone else. Bengaluru has 2.5 million IT professionals and over 200,000 foreign employees. The city’s contribution to the IT sector is immense and unparalleled.”

Addressing the Google investment in Andhra Pradesh, Shivakumar said, “We cannot stop companies from going to Andhra Pradesh. They are receiving multiple incentives there. Let other regions also develop. Bengaluru has long been established, and there is no need for us to call them here. Global companies continue to approach us for investments. The city’s infrastructure and talent will naturally attract investment.”

Earlier this week, Google announced at its “Bharat AI Shakti” event in New Delhi that it would invest $15 billion over five years to build its largest AI hub outside the U.S. in Visakhapatnam. The project is expected to generate substantial employment and strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s position in the global AI landscape.