Amitabh Kant, the former CEO of NITI Aayog, asserts that India has not fallen behind in the race for artificial intelligence (AI) and has the potential to emerge as a key player in AI technology. During a session titled ‘The Future of Make in India’ at Business Today’s India@100 event, Kant emphasised that India’s human resources and technical expertise are significant advantages in the AI domain.

Kant noted that while major components for AI, such as chips and lithography machines, are being developed in other nations, India could take on a crucial role in supplying the necessary data and skilled workforce to develop and implement AI applications. He highlighted that many observers mistakenly believe India has completely lost the AI race.

“India is projected to contribute 22 per cent of global data,” Kant remarked, indicating that this would bolster the country’s standing in the international tech arena. With the anticipated investment in data centres, he expects significant advancements in AI infrastructure throughout the nation.

Investment in Data Infrastructure

Kant elaborated on a projected investment of approximately $200 billion for the establishment of data centres in India, a move anticipated to enhance the processing of data within the country. Such a large-scale investment is expected to foster the growth of AI talent and businesses alongside this developing infrastructure.

He indicated that the influx of AI talent from various parts of the world, particularly from the United States, is increasingly seen within Indian startups and global capability centres (GCCs). This growing pool of expertise not only aids AI technology development but also allows India to focus on practical applications across various sectors.

Kant highlighted several key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and education which, he believes, could benefit significantly from the application of AI technologies, urging a stronger focus on these areas in the coming years.

Future Skills and Workforce Development

Kant concluded by underscoring that India has the potential to provide about 30 per cent of the world’s skilled workforce. This positions India not only to pursue its own AI goals but also to support global technology initiatives effectively, focusing on talent, data, and digital capabilities to foster applications in diverse industries.

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