New Delhi: Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani is of the opinion that India must do things differently with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Rather than compete with international tech giants to develop huge AI models, he wants India to work on practical applications that can impact people’s lives directly.
During an event in Bengaluru on May 7, 2024, hosted by People+AI, Nilekani outlined his vision of transforming India into the “AI use-case capital of the world.” He clarified, “We are not here to create the largest AI models, we are here to apply AI to solve actual problems and enhance lives.”
At the event, the People+AI initiative, supported by the not-for-profit EkStep Foundation, announced the Open Cloud Compute (OCC) project. The project seeks to establish an open AI computing network to fulfill India’s increasing demands for AI. Nilekani stressed that India must utilize current AI technology to address problems, instead of waiting for the next breakthrough.
At another event in Bengaluru on September 2, 2024, he reiterated this point, saying, “Let the big tech companies build huge AI models, we’ll focus on using AI to solve real-world issues.” This mindset highlights India’s strategy to apply AI in sectors like healthcare, finance, and education.
AI for Digital Inclusion
Nilekani also spoke about how AI could make digital services available to all Indians, particularly those with language issues. In November 2024, he stated, “AI can help make digital financial services available to billions of Indians in their own languages.”
Backing this endeavor, IIT Madras introduced the ‘Nilekani Centre at AI4Bharat’ with the purpose of enhancing AI study in Indian languages. This is complementary to the government’s Bhashini mission that promotes making the internet available in local languages.
Infosys, since Nilekani took over, is also propelling AI adoption. The organization is developing 225 Generative AI Applications for customers, indicating its dedication towards making AI viable and functional in various sectors.
He also promotes cooperation among startups, government, and industry to create AI solutions that suit India’s requirements. He is of the opinion that open-source AI models, on certain occasions, may work better than big models if they are correctly trained with data.
The Future of AI in India
Nandan Nilekani sees a future where AI is applied to real problems, making technology more accessible and inclusive. By emphasizing practical uses, India can take the lead in AI-based solutions that actually make a difference in people’s lives.
