New Delhi, Feb 19 India is showing the world how fast artificial intelligence can move from ideas to real-life solutions, especially for farmers and the rural economy, Nandan Nilekani said on Thursday during a CEO roundtable.
He credited the leadership and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enabling rapid AI adoption aimed at improving the lives of ordinary citizens.
Nilekani recalled his meeting with the Prime Minister on January 8, when the discussion focused on applying AI in agriculture. During the conversation, the Prime Minister suggested extending the use of AI beyond farmers to cows and cattle, pointing out that animals cannot express when they are sick.
He emphasised that technology should help address this gap, particularly in agriculture and dairy, where livelihoods depend heavily on animal health.
Acting swiftly on this vision, the Prime Minister’s Office held a meeting the same day with senior government officials, representatives from the Ministry of Electronics and IT, and India’s largest dairy cooperative, Amul.
Within just three weeks, the AI-based solution was launched on February 11, highlighting what Nilekani described as the exceptional speed of AI diffusion in India.
"This shows how AI can deliver direct, measurable benefits at scale," Nilekani mentioned.
He compared this moment to the launch of the BHIM app in December 2016, when Prime Minister Modi introduced digital payments through the Unified Payments Interface.
"AI in India is now at a similar inflection point. With a strong focus on public benefit -- covering farmers, workers, students, and patients -- AI is set to scale rapidly across sectors," Nilekani said.
He also stressed the importance of data sovereignty, noting that Amul’s data remains with Amul and is stored within India by design.
"Many more AI applications are expected to emerge in the coming months," Nilekani said.
He expressed confidence that India will lead globally in demonstrating how AI diffusion, when guided by strong leadership and trust-based systems, can significantly improve the lives of the common man.
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