Telangana has introduced an AI-powered digital avatar of IT Minister D Sridhar Babu to explore new ways of engaging with citizens through technology. Unveiled at DevFest 2026 on Saturday, the avatar, described as a pre-AGI digital twin of the minister, interacted with young attendees in English and Telugu and answered questions about the state’s vision and technology-led growth.
The initiative was developed using TensorGo’s HumAIn platform under the guidance of Telangana IT Advisor Sai Krishna.
The first live demonstration took place on stage during the event. In the next phase, the government plans to allow citizens to interact directly with the avatar, share feedback and submit grievances, Sai Krishna said. He added that the initiative could help the minister connect with a wider audience and understand governance-related concerns and challenges faced by people at the grassroots level.
Organised by Google Developer Group (GDG) Hyderabad, DevFest 2026 brought together more than 3,300 developers, students, engineers, architects and startup founders. The conference centred on the theme ‘Build, Secure, Scale: Developers and Builders in the Agentic Era’ and featured hands-on sessions led by more than 30 industry experts.
Addressing the gathering, Sridhar Babu said Telangana aimed to become a global AI hub by creating opportunities for young innovators to develop solutions and take them to international markets.
“The next big breakthrough in AI could come from a student, a startup or a young developer, and we want Telangana to be the place where those ideas get the opportunity to grow,” he said.
The conference also featured an experience zone with NFC-enabled smart badges that allowed participants to share their digital resumes with recruiters. Networking and recruitment opportunities were provided, with companies including Google for Developers, Logitech, Lyric AI, MetLife and MSI participating.
GDG Hyderabad said its community had connected with more than 2 lakh technology enthusiasts over the past 13 years and had approximately 20,000 active members.
Joint Secretary (IT) Anudeep Durishetty, TensorGo Software founder Srini Chilukuri, GDG Hyderabad lead Aarshad Devani and other attendees were also present at the event.
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