Karnataka Unveils Affordable AI Device, 'KEO', Priced at ₹18,999 - Revolutionizing Access to Technology
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Karnataka has taken a significant step towards bridging the digital divide by launching 'KEO', an open-source AI device, at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025. The ₹18,999 device, developed and manufactured within the state, is designed to bring artificial intelligence capabilities to students, engineers, and households in urban and rural areas. The KEO device, a result of collaboration between the state's department of electronics, IT, and BT, and KEONICS, features an on-device AI core that operates offline. It runs on an indigenous RISC-V processor fabricated by a Bengaluru semiconductor company. State IT-BT minister Priyank Kharge hailed the device as 'India's most affordable artificial intelligence personal computer', highlighting its compactness and power. The market for the device is expected to stabilize further, with the state planning to lower the price once components return to normal price levels. The initiative has already garnered support from prominent techno-industrialists, including Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan and Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who have placed orders to sponsor units for schools across the state. According to state data, only 15% of households in Karnataka own a computer, compared to less than 10% nationally. Officials argue that while smartphones are nearly universal, computers remain essential for coding, academic assignments, and sustained online learning. With over 60% of Indian students facing difficulty participating in digital classes due to lack of suitable devices, the KEO device aims to address this pressing issue. Pre-orders for the KEO device began on the KEONICS website on Tuesday, with interest from Japanese women entrepreneurs who have expressed a desire to fund the project.
