4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Aug 23, 2026 10:28 AM IST
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday launched KEO, a compact, AI-ready computing platform designed to democratise access to advanced computing and bring the power of artificial intelligence to homes, classrooms, businesses and communities across the country.
It has been developed through a collaboration between the Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, KEONICS, semiconductor partners and AI-focused system integrators, officials said. KEO – Knowledge-driven, Economical and Open-source brings together an open-source RISC-V processor architecture, open-source hardware and software, and on-device artificial intelligence in a compact desktop platform.
Speaking at the launch, Shivakumar described the AI-enabled computing device as a step towards democratising access to artificial intelligence and ensuring that every government-school student in the state gets an opportunity to learn and build with emerging technologies.
He said the launch was not merely about introducing a new device but about giving shape to a larger vision of making technology and AI accessible to children across Karnataka, from rural villages to urban centres.
We don’t just launch a device. We launch a dream – the dream that every child in Karnataka, from rural villages to city centres, can learn, build and shape the future of artificial intelligence,” he said.
The government will initially deploy 1,000 KEO AI PCs in government schools, with the stated objective of eventually taking the technology to every government school in Karnataka, particularly those in rural areas.
“This is not a pilot. This is a commitment. This is a promise,” Shivakumar said, stressing that a child’s access to technology and opportunity should not be determined by their geographical location.
He said KEO represented the evolution of KEONICS from supporting technology projects to developing solutions aimed at creating wider social impact.
The device, he said, could help students learn coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning and electronics while enabling teachers to use AI-based interactive learning tools.
Shivakumar said KEO would help create a distributed talent pool across Karnataka instead of allowing technology opportunities to remain concentrated in Bengaluru.
He also called upon industry partners and CSR organisations to join the government’s effort to take KEO to every government school.
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In a statement, the department said that unlike conventional computing platforms that rely heavily on cloud connectivity for AI capabilities, KEO incorporates a dedicated on-device AI accelerator, enabling AI applications to run locally. This makes it particularly relevant for communities and institutions operating in areas where connectivity may be inconsistent.
According to the department, as part of the launch, 3,000 KEO devices will be rolled out. The first batch of 5,000 devices is already ready, enabling the platform to move from launch to wider deployment across Karnataka.
The Karnataka government plans to scale up deployments significantly in the coming months, taking KEO into more schools, institutions, businesses, households and citizen-facing environments across the state, it said.
Two MoUs were signed as part of the KEO launch between the Shikshana Foundation and the Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society (KREIS) and between the Shikshana Foundation and RSA, supporting the deployment and wider adoption of KEO across educational and community environments in Karnataka, officials said.
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According to the department, under the rollout supported by the Shikshana Foundation, 2,222 KEO computers will be deployed across Karnataka in Phase 1, creating opportunities for students, educators and communities to access computing, digital learning and AI-enabled educational tools.
The statewide implementation will cover all 239 talukas and all 31 districts of Karnataka, it added.
At the event, IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge, said “KEO is Karnataka’s practical answer to the digital divide. It reflects the state’s commitment to inclusive innovation and accessible computing. It is not a luxury device, but an inclusion device. Affordable mass computing will allow every student, every small business and every household to participate fully in the digital economy.”