Haryana chief minister (CM) Nayab Singh Saini on Monday launched the Haryana Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sandbox at Gurugram, describing it as a transformative platform that will strengthen innovation and good governance.Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini during the inauguration of the Haryana AI Sandbox event, in Gurugram on Monday. (@NayabSainiBJP X)An AI Sandbox is a secure, time-bound environment where competitively selected teams develop and pilot AI solutions to address specific challenges.Chief executive officer of a special purpose vehicle named AI for Resilient Jobs, Urban Air Quality & Next-Gen Skills Council (ARJUN), J Ganesan, said that unlike conventional pilots that commit resources upfront, the Sandbox operates on a test before invest principle allowing stakeholders to prove that an AI solution works, is safe and delivers measurable value before any decision to scale.Addressing innovators and technology professionals on Monday, the CM said the Haryana AI Sandbox would play an important role in advancing state’s commitment to Antyodaya, ensuring that the benefits of technology reach the last person in society.HT had reported last Monday that five priority sectors have been picked by the Haryana government where AI solutions in governance will be tested and deployed under state government’s AI Sandbox initiative. These include handling of public grievance, school education planning, road infrastructure maintenance, healthcare imaging services and water and sewerage management.In future, sectors such as agriculture, revenue, urban development, transport, social welfare, environment and industry will also leverage the AI platform to address governance challenges, Saini said.The CM said that AI-enabled identification of damaged roads through photographs and location-based information could help accelerate maintenance and repair works. In the education sector, AI can assist in assessing teacher requirements, identifying shortages and improving deployment planning, thereby directly benefiting students. AI can support healthcare systems by helping doctors identify serious medical cases at an early stage, enabling timely intervention and improved outcomes, he added. Similarly, AI-driven analysis of complaints relating to water supply, leakages and recurring issues can facilitate quicker and more effective resolution, he said. The CM said that whether it is roads, water supply, schools, hospitals or public grievances, technology-driven solutions have the potential to bring meaningful improvements to citizens’ daily lives.“Hyperscalers (large cloud service providers) like Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services have shown interest in the pilots and assured pro bono access for innovators to cloud computing infrastructure. The successful innovators will be announced in third week of June at an AI-Summit. The department and the selected team will sign a formal agreement before access to the required data can be provided,” the CEO of ARJUN said.Acting India Director of World Bank, Paul Procee, said the Bank would extend support in strengthening AI skills and capabilities in the state.