SOA to Host Google AI Workshop to Boost Odisha’s AI-Driven Growth

Bhubaneswar, Dec 17 (UNI): The Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University is set to host a day-long Odisha AI Symposium on Wednesday, featuring a Google AI Workshop aimed at accelerating AI-driven development in the state.

The workshop will include a live demonstration titled “Beyond the Prompt: Decoding Google’s Agentic AI” by Ajitesh Kumar, Senior AI and Cloud Architect at Google. The session will be moderated by Bijay Kumar Sahoo, Senior Regional Manager and Program Head (East) of the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC).

The symposium will bring together leading national and international AI experts for sessions and workshops on key themes such as AI in Agriculture, Medicine, Education, AI Startups/Agentic AI, Transforming Science and Engineering, and AI Ethics and Security.

Organized in support of the recently approved Odisha AI Policy, the event aims to provide strategic direction to accelerate AI-driven growth in the state. The initiative is a collaborative effort by SOA, the Odisha Society of America (OSA), and the AI and HPC Centre of IIT Bhubaneswar.

The symposium will act as a platform for policymakers, industry leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors to explore AI applications across sectors including healthcare, agriculture, and education. The event will feature keynote addresses by prominent AI experts, thematic panel discussions, and engagement opportunities with startups, corporates, researchers, and policymakers.

Additionally, the Odisha AI Symposium will serve as an official pre-event for the India AI Impact Summit 2026, with SOA hosting the event in partnership with the Indian AI Mission (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India).

This initiative underscores Odisha’s growing focus on emerging technologies and its commitment to fostering an AI-driven ecosystem in the state.