Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed India’s aspirations in artificial intelligence, the globalization of Indian talent, and the indispensable contribution of human intellect to technological advancement in an open and extensive interview with Lex Fridman.
During the almost two-and-a-half-hour conversation, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that no one country can spearhead AI development alone and affirmed India’s critical position in the AI revolution. “No matter what the world does with AI, it will remain incomplete without India,” PM Modi declared. “I am making this statement very responsibly. Can anyone develop AI entirely on their own?”
Similar to its record-breaking 5G deployment, India is making tremendous breakthroughs in AI despite being perceived as a late entry. “Take 5G, for example: the world initially believed we were far behind. But once we started, we became the fastest nation globally to roll out comprehensive 5G networks,” PM Modi stated.
He said that an American IT executive had just informed him that, although engineering jobs in the United States would hardly fill a room, in India, there wouldn’t be enough space to accommodate applicants—not even a football field.
“India has access to an extraordinarily vast pool of talent, and that’s our greatest strength,” he said. “Artificial intelligence is fundamentally powered, shaped, and guided by human intelligence. And the richest reservoir of that intelligence is found in India’s youth and talent pool.”
PM Modi also emphasized the impact of Indian-origin CEOs in the global IT industry, such as Aravind Srinivas of Perplexity AI, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, and Google’s Sundar Pichai.
“Indian culture emphasises that there should be equal respect for the place where you’re born and the place where you work. There should be no difference. As much as there is dedication to the land of birth, there should be the same sense of dedication to the land of work,” he explained. “The ability to work effectively as part of a team matters significantly more than just having knowledge. Indians, especially those raised in joint families and an open society, naturally develop leadership skills and problem-solving abilities.”
He maintained that this is the reason Indian professionals have important roles in the largest corporations in the globe.
PM Modi also discussed India’s increasing leadership in space startups and exploration, pointing out that more than 200 private businesses are already engaged in space technology just a few years after the industry was opened up.
“Missions like Chandrayaan are extremely cost-effective. India’s Chandrayaan mission cost less than what Hollywood spends making a single blockbuster film! When the world sees how efficient we are, they naturally think, ‘Why not partner with India?’”
When questioned about the concern that artificial intelligence (AI) might eventually supplant people, Prime Minister Modi brushed off the idea of a battle between technology and humanity, pointing out that people have always been able to adapt before technology.“It has always been the case. After all, it is humans who find the best ways to use technology to their advantage,” he said.
“And I believe that with AI, humans are now being forced to reflect on what it truly means to be human. This is the real power of AI.”
While AI can create, generate, and predict, Modi pointed out its fundamental limitation: “Humans have an innate ability to care for each other, the natural tendency to be concerned about one another. Can AI do that?”
PM Modi called AI a shared purpose rather than a competition and urged international cooperation in the field. He reaffirmed that India has a distinct, easily accessible GPU market and is developing practical AI applications in addition to theoretical AI models.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News is a premier platform dedicated to delivering latest news, updates, and insights from the tech industry. With its strong foundation of intellectual property and thought leadership, the platform is well-positioned to stay ahead of the curve and lead conversations about how technology shapes our world. From its early days as CIO News to its rebranding as The Mainstream on November 28, 2024, it has been expanding its global reach, targeting key markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, the USA, and the UK. The Mainstream is a vision to put technology at the center of every conversation, inspiring professionals and organizations to embrace the future of tech.
