Bengaluru

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said Artificial Intelligence (AI) must remain a tool to enhance human creativity and not replace artists, underscoring the need for ethical use, protection of intellectual property and fair compensation in the AVGC-XR sector.

Speaking after inaugurating the seventh edition of the Bengaluru GAFX — Games, Animation and Visual Effects Conference — here, the chief minister said technology should amplify human potential, not erase it. “The soul of storytelling is human emotion, something no algorithm can replicate in its fullness,” he said.

Siddaramaiah noted that AI is transforming content pipelines and improving productivity, but cautioned against its unchecked use. “Respect for intellectual property, data privacy, fair compensation and continuous skill upgradation must be central to the adoption of AI,” he said.

Reiterating the state’s long-standing commitment to the sector, he said Karnataka was the first state in India to implement a dedicated AVGC policy in 2017. The government is now implementing its third AVGC-XR Policy for 2024–29, providing incentives, infrastructure support, skill-building initiatives, incubation systems and institutional collaboration.

He said the Games, Animation and Visual Effects sector is no longer a niche creative industry, but a key driver shaping storytelling, culture, education and even governance in the digital era.

Emphasising decentralised growth, Siddaramaiah said digital creative clusters are being promoted beyond Bengaluru in cities such as Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi. “We want the next great game designer or VFX innovator to emerge from every district of Karnataka,” he said.

The chief minister said the state aims to be known not only as the Silicon Valley of India but also as the “Creative Capital” of the digital world. He added that AVGC-XR technologies are being integrated into tourism through augmented reality, education and medical training via simulations, and digital preservation of cultural heritage.

With the potential to create 20 lakh jobs over the next five years, the sector would generate employment across design, coding, storytelling, music, motion capture, AI modelling and production management, he said, calling on educational institutions to integrate AVGC-XR skills into mainstream curricula.

Outlining five strategic priorities, Siddaramaiah said the state would focus on building a future-ready talent pipeline, strengthening infrastructure, supporting startups and original intellectual property, expanding opportunities beyond Bengaluru, and building global partnerships.

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While encouraging innovation, he also stressed responsibility, urging ethical game design that avoids glorifying violence, safeguards children’s mental well-being and promotes creativity and positive social values. “The digital revolution must democratise opportunity, not widen inequality,” he added.