Andhra govt, Gates Foundation ink deal to leverage tech for public welfare

Andhra Pradesh government and Gates Foundation on Wednesday inked an agreement to leverage technology for public welfare in the spheres of healthcare, medtech, education and agriculture.

The deal was signed in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Microsoft founder and chair of the Gates Foundation Bill Gates in New Delhi.

"We (Naidu & Gates) had a very productive discussion on how the GoAP (Government of Andhra Pradesh) and the Gates Foundation can collaborate for the development and welfare of the people of Andhra Pradesh," said the CM in a post on 'X'.

According to Naidu, they explored the use of advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics to improve service delivery in key areas such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and employment generation.

The agreement formalises a strategic collaboration for targeted interventions within state-driven programmes, incorporating predictive health analytics and automated diagnostics, along with AI-driven advisory platforms and satellite-based systems for precision farming and resource management.

"Our partnership with the Gates Foundation can be instrumental in advancing Andhra Pradesh's development goals. By leveraging AI-driven governance, human capital development, and technological innovations in health, agriculture, and education, this MoU will achieve transformative outcomes that will benefit not only our state but also create scalable models for broader impact," said Naidu in a release.

Encouraged by the potential of the partnership, Gates said locally produced diagnostics and medical devices will improve the lives of vulnerable populations.

"By using AI and technology solutions to address key areas such as health, agriculture, and foundational learning, we can also provide examples for other regions in India and beyond to replicate," said Gates in the release.

Further, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh is fully committed to realising the vision of SwarnaAndhra@2047, which he believes will be furthered by the Gates Foundation partnership.

"I sincerely thank Bill Gates for his time, insights, and support for the progress of Andhra Pradesh," he added.