A high-level delegation of IBM officials on Tuesday has met C. N. Ashwathnarayan, Minister for IT-BT, Science and Technology at the Vikasa Soudha in Bengaluru and evinced interest in sharing the knowledge with the government of Karnataka in the areas of cyber security and artificial intelligence (AI).

The three-member IBM delegation led by Sandip Patil, managing director, IBM South Asia assured the minister that the company would help the government in formulating a cyber-security policy.

During the meeting, Ashwathnarayan said the government would take the help of the company in matters concerning cyber security.

Sandip Patil said IBM had recently opened a Security Command Centre in Bengaluru to improve cyber resilience and capacity development of the industry. He said the company would discuss the capabilities of this new facility including some strategic collaboration avenues to develop effective cyber incident response with the government, adding that the company was willing to train the government staff in this direction if necessary.

Patil said providing for adequate cyber security is likely to pose a stiff challenge in the coming days and added that it is necessary to tackle the issue in right earnest. He said the company would provide all the assistance to the government in implementing a cyber-security policy.

Meanwhile, Ashwathnarayan said members of the Karnataka Milk Federation and other co-operative societies have also evinced interest to partner with IBM. Patil said he welcomed the government's initiative to empower 14 government-run engineering colleges of the state and added that the government had sought IBM's assistance in formulating a curriculum and research programmes for the engineering students.

Patil expressed IBM's readiness to lend a helping hand in upgrading the quality of education to global standards and also augment the employability quotient of youths in the state. Patil said IBM intends to upgrade all the Atal Tinkering Labs in the state and hoped that the government would extend its co-operation in this regard.

Meanwhile, Ashwathnarayan announced that IBM had positively responded to upgrade the Sri Krishnarajendra Silver Jubilee Technological Institute in Bengaluru on a partnership basis. He said the government will discuss the modalities of this partnership with the company soon.