The Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday, October 22, entered into a strategic partnership with Meta Platforms Inc. with a view to achieve digital governance. The collaboration aims to leverage Meta’s WhatsApp Business Solution and open-source generative AI technologies like Llama. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked at 1, Janpath, New Delhi.

This partnership intends to focus on enabling citizen-centric public services through WhatsApp, allowing communication between the government and its citizens. Additionally, Meta’s generative AI hopes to aid in the development of e-governance solutions, initially targeting education and skilling, and potentially other domains.

"This partnership aligns with our vision of making governance easier and improving the quality of life for all citizens. With Meta’s innovative technology, we aim to enhance the efficiency of our public services and ensure that governance is just a click away," Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh stated.

"By making openly available AI models and WhatsApp API features accessible to all, we're fostering innovation and democratizing access," Meta India Vice President Sandhya Devanathan remarked. Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook Inc runs a range of services including Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp.

In September 2024, Meta partnered with the Telangana government with a similar aim to enhance e-governance and citizen services using AI technologies.