Shillong, Dec 3: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday said it is an honour for the state to host the Regional AI Impact Conference in Shillong on the theme “AI for Citizens’ Empowerment.”

Sangma highlighted Meghalaya’s growing role in the IT sector in the North East and said artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming governance, accelerating development, and empowering citizens. He noted that technology has helped the state reduce the Maternal Mortality Rate by nearly 50% and map critical natural resources such as rivers, springs, watersheds, and forests.

The Chief Minister added that companies operating from the Shillong IT Park are using AI for predictive models in agriculture and developing technologies to support Fortune 500 firms. He said these achievements demonstrate global confidence in Meghalaya’s talent and potential.

Sangma emphasized the need for a strong ecosystem, involving the government, industry experts, academia, and other stakeholders, to further technological growth. He highlighted the establishment of the state’s first Government Engineering College and stressed investing in advanced skills, including AI, quantum computing, and frontier technologies.

He called on the IT Department and experts to use the conference to shape a vision, set goals, and define a roadmap to position Meghalaya as a hub for technology, innovation, and investment.