Lucknow: Highlighting the importance of artificial intelligence, deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak on Friday said that AI is not something to be feared but a tool to be harnessed for maximum productivity.Speaking as the guest of honour in the second edition of the ET Digital UP Conclave on the theme, ‘Towards a Digital Future: Empowering Governance through Technology', Pathak outlined how Uttar Pradesh is transforming into a digital-first state, powered by artificial intelligence, information technology and governance technologies.The conclave brought together policymakers, technocrats, and industry leaders to chart the state's next digital leap.Recalling India's journey from manual typewriters to AI-driven systems, Pathak remarked, "Earlier, we used typewriters to create documents, today, a single keystroke delivers the benefits of govt schemes to crores of citizens.""It is not just a technological upgrade, but a revolution in governance," he said.Highlighting the impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) scheme, he said: "What used to be lost to middlemen now reaches the last person instantly and transparently."

Addressing concerns over AI, Pathak asserted, "AI isn't here to steal jobs but to enhance our capabilities. It processes and delivers information across sectors — from ancient Vedic texts to modern medical research."He urged students, researchers, and administrators to embrace AI as a tool for productivity and discovery."You can now ask AI where the earliest mention of fire is in the Rig Veda or which therapy shows the most promise in dementia research — all within seconds.

This is the technology we must use to build a stronger future," he said.Pathak emphasized that UP, once seen as an underdeveloped state, was emerging as an IT and innovation hub. He said that software worth over Rs 75,000 crore was exported annually from the state, employing over 3.55 lakh people in the IT sector."UP is not just competing with Bengaluru and Hyderabad, we're setting global benchmarks," he said.He credited improved law and order for enabling technological growth and investments.

"There was a time when people from UP were denied rentals in Mumbai or Delhi. Today, global tech companies are calling UP home," Pathak said.Stressing digital responsibility, he said, "Our youth must go beyond scrolling social media — they should use it to learn, research, and contribute to nation-building." He called upon educators to equip students with skills in AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data ethics.The deputy chief minister thanked The Times of India and The Economic Times for organising the event and urged all stakeholders — govt departments, private companies, and civil society — to join hands in building a digitally empowered UP, where technology serves the people, not the other way around.