At Carnegie India’s Global Technology Summit ‘Sambhavna’, Nandan Nilekani emphasized India’s unique potential to combine its expansive Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) with the transformative power of AI. However, he cautioned that despite the widespread hype around artificial intelligence, significant challenges remain in scaling and effectively operationalizing it.
India is uniquely positioned to combine its vast digital public infrastructure (DPI) with AI to unlock transformative solutions, said Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani at Carnegie India’s Global Technology Summit ‘Sambhavna’.
He cautioned that while AI hype is at an all-time high, real challenges remain in scaling and operationalizing it. “AI enhances DPI, and India’s rich digital history will enable the fusion of both to create novel ways of doing things,” Nilekani remarked.
The country’s AI strategy focuses on safe, secure, and responsible use in narrow applications. While technology advances, AI requires trust in non-human decision-making, which, Nilekani noted, presents a significant leap compared to past innovations.
The challenges in AI adoption are manifold, including seamless user experiences, infrastructure needs, and governance. “AI at scale requires immense effort,” he added, highlighting that its adoption in India might occur faster than the 10-15 years typical globally due to the foundation of robust digital infrastructure.
India’s progress in AI will help bridge the gap between global tech developments and local applications.
With innovations like Aadhaar and UPI, India’s DPI is setting the stage for AI adoption at scale, with a focus on accessibility and low-cost solutions.
Nilekani believes India can become the global leader in AI use, especially with its strong local language support and voice-driven interfaces, making AI accessible to a billion people.
