INTRO: India is uniquely positioned to benefit from the AI revolution due to its scale, digital infrastructure and talent base
New Delhi
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc. and Google, on Wednesday said India stands at the beginning of a major technological transformation, with artificial intelligence set to play a defining role in shaping the country’s future.
Speaking at an event, Pichai described the present period as a transformational moment, signalling the start of what he termed a decade-long shift powered by technology, innovation and large-scale AI adoption.
He emphasised that India is uniquely positioned to benefit from the AI revolution due to its scale, digital infrastructure and talent base. However, he cautioned that this opportunity also carries responsibility. According to Pichai, sustained investments in AI research and broad-based deployment across sectors will be essential to ensure long-term impact. He stressed the importance of building strong foundational layers of AI so that its benefits extend across industries and reach every segment of society.
Highlighting India’s rapid digital progress, Pichai noted that Indian users rank among the highest globally in adopting voice-based and image-based search technologies. This, he said, reflects the country’s readiness to embrace innovation at scale. He also pointed out that India has emerged as one of the largest markets for Gemini, Google’s AI-powered platform, underlining the growing integration of AI tools into everyday digital experiences.
Focusing on the future workforce, Pichai underscored the need to prepare students for a technology-driven era. Alphabet is partnering with Atal Tinkering Labs to introduce robotics and coding into classrooms, aiming to foster creativity, innovation and problem-solving skills among schoolchildren from an early stage.
Earlier in the day, Pichai met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss India’s expanding AI ecosystem and potential collaboration opportunities. He reiterated that Google is embedding AI across healthcare, agriculture, startups and other critical sectors. Pichai concluded that with the right policies and investments, artificial intelligence can serve as a powerful engine for inclusive growth and sustained transformation in India.
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