theTNai
Get the brief

Guide · Updated

AI policy in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu's main AI policy is the Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy 2020, which sets rules for AI used by the government. Since then the state has added an AI Mission (2024), a DeepTech Startup Policy (January 2026), a ministry for AI, IT and Digital Services (May 2026) and, in August 2026, a deep-tech fund, AI centres of excellence and a state GPU cluster.

Facts last checked 26 Oct 2026 · 25 sources · 7 min read

The 2020 Safe and Ethical AI Policy

The IT department approved the Tamil Nadu Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy 2020 by a government order dated 18 Sep 2020. The State Planning Commission lists it as a sectoral policy of the IT department, aimed at using AI for public good while keeping it safe and ethical. (Government of Tamil Nadu, G.O.(Ms) No. 24 (2020), State Planning Commission, Tamil Nadu)

The policy has two tools. TAM-DEF is a six-part guide covering transparency and audit, accountability and legal issues, misuse protection, the digital divide and data deficit, ethics, and fairness. The DEEP-MAX scorecard rates an AI system on seven measures using test data, before and after it goes into government use. (IndiaAI, IndiaAI)

We found no newer AI policy that replaces it. The 2026-27 IT Policy Note says government AI systems will still be checked with TAM-DEF and deployed under DEEP-MAX. (Deccan Chronicle)

Your rights when the government uses AI

The 2026-27 IT Policy Note says that people affected by an AI-assisted government decision can find out that AI was used, get a written explanation in Tamil or English, and ask for a human to review the decision. (Deccan Chronicle)

These rules come from a policy note, not a law, and the detailed procedure has not been published yet. We will add it here when it is.

The AI ministry and who does what

On 21 May 2026 the TVK government added an AI portfolio to the IT and Digital Services ministry and gave it to R. Kumar, MLA for Velachery. The state Gazette of 22 May 2026 names him Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology and Digital Services. (The Week, Tamil Nadu Government Gazette No. 256)

The revised 2026-27 budget gives the department Rs 398 crore. (Deccan Chronicle)

TNeGA, the Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency, builds government digital services and runs the AI Mission. ELCOT promotes the IT sector, invests in IT parks and runs the data centre policy. (IT and Digital Services Department, Policy Note 2025-26)

iTNT Hub, a not-for-profit company under the IT department, runs the DeepTech Startup Policy and links deep-tech startups with partners. StartupTN funds startups and incubators, and Guidance Tamil Nadu helps companies making large investments. (iTNT Hub, Guidance Tamil Nadu)

The Tamil Nadu AI Mission

The state approved the Tamil Nadu Artificial Intelligence Mission (TNAIM) on 9 Oct 2024, with Rs 13.93 crore for two years and TNeGA as the implementing agency. (Government of Tamil Nadu, G.O.(Ms) No. 25 (2024))

The 2026-27 Policy Note widens the mission beyond AI to quantum technology, AVGC-XR (animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality) and deep tech. The state plans to turn it into a not-for-profit Section 8 company for public-purpose AI work, such as governance projects, the Tamil language model, centres of excellence and skills. (Deccan Chronicle, DT Next)

A second body, Tamil Nadu AI Vision, is proposed as a taxable government company that would run parts of the state's AI infrastructure and sell computing to others for a fee. No capital amount has been given. (DT Next)

Support for AI and deep-tech startups

The Tamil Nadu DeepTech Startup Policy 2025-26 was released at UmagineTN on 8 Jan 2026, with iTNT Hub as the nodal agency. It aims to back 100 deep-tech startups and bring in Rs 100 crore of investment over five years, and to train over 10,000 students and professionals in deep-tech skills, including AI. (iTNT Hub, WION)

On 25 Aug 2026 Minister R. Kumar announced the Vetri Tamil Nadu Deep-Tech Innovation Fund in the Assembly, with an initial Rs 50 crore through iTNT Hub and a quarter reserved for SC and ST founders. The same package included Rs 20 crore for AI Centres of Excellence through ELCOT and a Rs 10 crore state GPU cluster. (YourStory (PTI), Angel One)

The schemes page lists every state and central scheme we track, with amounts, who can apply and the status of each.

All AI and startup schemes How to apply for TANSEED

What the 2026-27 budget added

The revised 2026-27 budget, presented on 5 Aug 2026, said the Tamil Virtual Academy will build a Tamil large language model. No amount or timeline was given. (DT Next)

It set aside Rs 5 crore for a feasibility study of Arivagam, a planned AI technology city. (DT Next)

It announced an AI Industry Development Programme with partners including IIT Madras, to train 5 lakh students from engineering colleges, polytechnics and ITIs by 2031, and said the Namma Arasu WhatsApp chatbot will grow from 76 services to 275. (Deccan Chronicle)

A machine learning and AI trade is planned for 50 government ITIs over five years, and TN SPARK, which teaches AI and robotics in government schools, will reach 2,600 more schools in 2026-27. (Outlook Business)

Every AI policy move, newest first

Moves before May 2026 were made under the previous government. Each line links its source, and to our own story where we have one.

  1. The Tamil Nadu Semiconductor Ecosystem Scheme 2026 was launched, with 15% to 25% capital subsidies for chip projects.

    Source: DT Next · Our page on this

  2. The housing department said it plans SPEED, an AI-based system for building plan approvals.

    Source: DT Next · Our page on this

  3. The state said it will add an AI chatbot and voice bot to the CM Helpline portal, at Rs 2.18 crore a year.

    Source: DT Next · Our page on this

  4. Reports on the 2026-27 IT Policy Note said it proposes Tamil Nadu AI Vision, a government company that would sell computing for a fee.

    Source: DT Next

  5. The same Policy Note gives people a right to an explanation and a human review of AI-assisted government decisions, Deccan Chronicle reported.

    Source: Deccan Chronicle

  6. The Rs 50 crore Deep-Tech Innovation Fund, Rs 20 crore AI Centres of Excellence and Rs 10 crore GPU cluster were announced in the Assembly.

    Source: YourStory (PTI) · Our page on this

  7. The revised 2026-27 budget said the Tamil Virtual Academy will build a Tamil large language model.

    Source: DT Next · Our page on this

  8. The same budget set aside Rs 5 crore to study Arivagam, a planned AI technology city, and planned AI training for 5 lakh students by 2031.

    Source: Deccan Chronicle · Our page on this

  9. An AI portfolio was created and given to R. Kumar.

    Source: The Week · Our page on this

  10. The state signed an MoU with Sarvam AI for a Sovereign AI Park in Chennai, with an initial Rs 10,000 crore and over 1,000 jobs expected.

    Source: Business Today

  11. The DeepTech Startup Policy 2025-26 was released, with iTNT Hub as nodal agency.

    Source: iTNT Hub · Our page on this

  12. The Tamil Nadu Artificial Intelligence Mission was approved with Rs 13.93 crore for two years.

    Source: Government of Tamil Nadu, G.O.(Ms) No. 25 (2024)

  13. The Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy 2020 was approved.

    Source: Government of Tamil Nadu, G.O.(Ms) No. 24 (2020)

The Sovereign AI Park with Sarvam AI

Tamil Nadu and Sarvam AI signed an MoU on 13 Jan 2026 for a Sovereign AI Park in Chennai, with an initial Rs 10,000 crore and over 1,000 jobs expected. The park is planned to hold high-performance computing, secure data systems, model research labs and an Institute for AI in Governance. (Business Today)

MediaNama reports that no timeline has been made public and attributes the Rs 10,000 crore and 1,000 jobs figures to press reports. We have not found an update since the change of government in May 2026. (MediaNama)

AI data centres in Tamil Nadu

Latest policy news

Policy stories from The TN AI Brief, newest first.

Questions people ask

Does Tamil Nadu have an AI policy?

Yes. The Tamil Nadu Safe and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Policy 2020, approved on 18 Sep 2020, sets rules for AI used by the government through the TAM-DEF guide and the DEEP-MAX scorecard. We found no newer policy replacing it; the 2026-27 IT Policy Note still uses both tools.

Who is the AI minister of Tamil Nadu?

R. Kumar, MLA for Velachery, is the Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology and Digital Services. The AI portfolio was created on 21 May 2026.

What is the Tamil Nadu AI Mission?

The Tamil Nadu Artificial Intelligence Mission was approved on 9 Oct 2024 with Rs 13.93 crore for two years, run by TNeGA. The 2026-27 Policy Note widens it to quantum and deep tech and plans to make it a not-for-profit Section 8 company.

What is the Vetri Tamil Nadu Deep-Tech Innovation Fund?

A fund announced on 25 Aug 2026 with an initial Rs 50 crore, set up through iTNT Hub to support deep-tech startups, researchers and innovators. A quarter is reserved for SC and ST founders. Application rules had not been published when we last checked.

The fund's page

Can I ask for a human to review an AI decision by the Tamil Nadu government?

The 2026-27 IT Policy Note says yes: people affected by an AI-assisted government decision can learn that AI was used, get a written explanation in Tamil or English, and ask for a human review. The detailed procedure has not been published yet.

Sources

Every fact on this page was checked against these pages, most recently on 26 Oct 2026. Lists marked as live come from our own records, each of which names its source.

  1. Government of Tamil Nadu, G.O.(Ms) No. 24 (2020)
  2. State Planning Commission, Tamil Nadu
  3. IndiaAI
  4. IndiaAI
  5. Deccan Chronicle
  6. The Week
  7. Tamil Nadu Government Gazette No. 256
  8. Deccan Chronicle
  9. IT and Digital Services Department, Policy Note 2025-26
  10. iTNT Hub
  11. Guidance Tamil Nadu
  12. Government of Tamil Nadu, G.O.(Ms) No. 25 (2024)
  13. DT Next
  14. iTNT Hub
  15. WION
  16. YourStory (PTI)
  17. Angel One
  18. DT Next
  19. DT Next
  20. Outlook Business
  21. DT Next
  22. DT Next
  23. DT Next
  24. Business Today
  25. MediaNama

Spotted an error? Tell us: we fix confirmed errors within 24 hours and log them in public.

Cite this page

theTN.ai, "AI policy in Tamil Nadu", updated 26 Oct 2026. https://thetn.ai/ai-policy-tamil-nadu/

More guides