AIADMK Mocks MK Stalin As Google Picks Andhra For $15 Billion AI Project

Andhra Pradesh's 'capture' of $15 billion in investment from Google - towards an Artificial Intelligence hub in Vizag over a five year period - kicked up a row with neighbouring Karnataka, amid a feud over the condition of infrastructure and its impact on businesses in Bengaluru.

And now it is also being used by the opposition in Tamil Nadu to criticise the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for having failed to bring Google to the state despite a 'strong cultural connection' to its leadership, i.e., Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who was born in Madurai.

The jab by the AIADMK, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, comes ahead of next year's Assembly election, and underlines increasing friction in the southern state.

The AIADMK, which is allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party, has already targeted Chief Minister MK Stalin's administration claiming a breakdown in law-and-order, pointing to a number of murders and sexual assault cases that have been reported over the past few months.

On the Google investment front, senior AIADMK leader RB Udayakumar told reporters the DMK had missed a 'historic opportunity' to ensure the creation of the data and AI hub in the state.

"Despite Google CEO Sundar Pichai being a Tamil, the DMK government failed to invite the company to establish its AI infrastructure hub here," he said Monday morning, slamming the lack of proactive engagement and vision that led to Andhra securing the high-value project.

"This is not just a missed investment. It's a lost chance for Tamil Nadu to emerge as a national hub for AI, data analytics, and digital infrastructure," he declared, adding, "If the DMK government had shown initiative, the project would have been in Tamil Nadu today."

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Raaja responded for the DMK, pointing out the state is set to receive a much larger sum - around Rs 15,000 crore - from Foxconn, the Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturer known for making Apple devices, like iPhones.

He also denied claims the Tamil Nadu government made no effort to win over Google.

In August last year Stalin, during a visit to the United States, visited the offices of Google and Microsoft to sign agreement related to AI upskilling initiatives and, more importantly, expand the state's capacity to manufacture semiconductors and smartphones.