Bengaluru, Feb 27 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday inaugurated the 7th edition of the Bengaluru GAFX – Games, Animation and Visual Effects Conference, themed ‘Evolution Reloaded,’ and asserted that Karnataka is not merely participating in the AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality) evolution but leading it through sustained policy support, talent development and global partnerships.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the conference, Siddaramaiah said Bengaluru was the natural choice to host such an event, describing the city as a place “where imagination meets engineering, where art meets algorithms, and where creativity finds capital.”

He noted that the sector has the potential to generate up to 20 lakh jobs over the next five years across areas such as design, coding, storytelling, Artificial Intelligence (AI) modelling and production management.

He said Karnataka’s talent is already contributing to global cinema, international gaming studios, OTT platforms and animation pipelines, and stressed the need for structured skill development through integration of AVGC-XR courses in universities, engineering colleges, design institutes and polytechnics.

Outlining the state’s vision, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka will focus on building a future-ready talent pipeline, strengthening production infrastructure, supporting startups and original intellectual property creation, expanding opportunities beyond Bengaluru, and deepening global partnerships.

He also addressed the growing role of AI in the creative sector, stating that while AI enhances productivity, it must remain a tool and not replace human creativity. He emphasised the need for ethical use of AI, protection of intellectual property, data privacy and fair compensation for creators.

He noted that Bengaluru has consistently remained at the forefront of technological revolutions, from software and biotechnology to space and deep-tech innovation.

The Chief Minister said the Games, Animation, Visual Effects, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sector has emerged as a major driver of the digital economy, shaping how people experience stories, education, culture and governance in the era of immersive media, streaming platforms, e-sports and extended reality.

He added that the seventh edition of the conference reflected Karnataka’s continuity, growth and confidence in leading this transformation.

Highlighting the state’s pioneering role, Siddaramaiah said Karnataka was the first state in India to introduce a dedicated AVGC policy in 2017, recognising early the importance of content creation in the digital economy. He said the government is currently implementing its third AVGC-XR Policy for the period 2024–2029, providing incentives, infrastructure support, skill development initiatives, incubation and industry collaboration.

Through initiatives such as K-Tech, Startup Karnataka and Centres of Excellence, the government has created platforms to nurture innovation and support startups, he said. He added that the state is also promoting digital creative clusters beyond Bengaluru in cities such as Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Kalaburagi to ensure balanced regional development and create opportunities across Karnataka.

The Chief Minister said the government is integrating immersive technologies into sectors such as tourism, education and healthcare.

Augmented Reality is being used to enhance tourism experiences, while AVGC-XR tools are supporting medical training, digital learning and preservation of cultural heritage.

Describing the sector as both an economic and civilisational opportunity, Siddaramaiah said it empowers youth to transform creativity into livelihoods and enables global content creation from smaller towns.

The Chief Minister urged industry leaders to invest in original content, educational institutions to modernise curricula, and young creators to innovate fearlessly. He said Karnataka aims to emerge not only as the Silicon Valley of India but also as the creative capital of the digital world.

With this, Siddaramaiah officially declared the 7th edition of Bengaluru GAFX – Evolution Reloaded open. The programme is organised by Department of Electronics, Information Technology and Biotechnology and Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)

–IANS

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