Key Highlights
- India is uniquely positioned to combine its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) with Artificial Intelligence (AI) for transformative advancements.
- AI adoption in India is expected to accelerate, leveraging the country’s robust digital foundation built over the last decade.
- Nandan Nilekani emphasizes the need for safe, responsible, and inclusive AI implementation at a population scale.
- Challenges include integrating AI into workflows, ensuring affordability, and addressing structural constraints in the public sector.
- India’s focus is on narrow, high-impact use cases rather than broad applications.
New Delhi: At the Carnegie India Global Technology Summit 2025, Infosys Chairman and Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani underscored India’s unique position in leveraging its sprawling Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) with the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He described this combination as a “whole new way of doing things,” enabling innovations at an unprecedented scale.
Nilekani highlighted that India’s digital revolution, marked by Aadhaar and UPI, has laid a strong foundation for AI-led advancements. These platforms have already transformed sectors like payments and services, paving the way for startups to disrupt markets. “India’s DPI will be the basis for using AI,” Nilekani said, adding that this infrastructure enables scalable solutions for a billion people.
AI Adoption: Faster but Challenging
Nilekani projected that while AI adoption in India could take 10–15 years globally, it might happen much faster domestically due to the country’s technological sophistication achieved over the past 15 years. However, he cautioned against viewing AI as “pixie dust” or overnight magic. The path to implementation will require significant effort, including:
- Workflow Changes: Enterprises and governments must adapt their systems to integrate AI effectively.
- Structural Constraints: The public sector faces unique challenges due to its departmentalized nature.
- Human Trust: Unlike deterministic technologies of the past, AI introduces unpredictability, requiring a leap of faith in non-human intelligence.
“Enterprise AI is much harder and will take a long time,” Nilekani noted. “But the most difficult task is implementing AI in the public sector.”
India’s Approach: Affordable and Inclusive AI
A key focus for India is ensuring that AI solutions are affordable and accessible. Nilekani emphasized that exorbitant costs won’t work in India. Instead, open-source models tailored for Indian languages and contexts are crucial. Many developers are already working on Indic language support and natural user interfaces like voice and video to make AI accessible across diverse demographics.
“The running theme in India is how to use AI to make lives better at a low cost,” Nilekani said. He pointed out that narrow use cases—such as improving healthcare access or streamlining government services are more impactful than broad applications.
Human-Centric Vision for AI
Nilekani stressed that India’s AI journey should focus on enhancing human potential rather than diminishing skills. “It is not about dumbing down people; it is about using AI to improve the capacity and potential of human beings,” he said. This vision aligns with India’s broader goal of leveraging technology to empower its population rather than merely offering convenience.
The Road Ahead
Looking forward, Nilekani predicted that local language support and natural user interfaces would drive the next phase of AI adoption in India. He expressed confidence that India could become the “AI use capital of the world,” showcasing scalable solutions at a population level similar to Aadhaar and UPI.
While challenges persist, Nilekani remains optimistic about India’s ability to bridge the gap between global innovation and domestic implementation rapidly. With its robust DPI and innovative strategies, India is poised to lead the way in safe, responsible, and impactful AI adoption.
