Everyday Reflections

India produces a staggering 1.5 million engineering graduates annually and has a thriving tech ecosystem. Yet, we haven’t been able to create a homegrown ChatGPT or DeepSeek. What’s holding us back is a lack of innovation and breakthroughs, which dampen our chances of leading the AI race.

Here’s what we must do to gain ground in AI: 

💰AI is a fast-evolving field and requires massive capital infusion. But India’s investment in R&D significantly lags countries like China and the US. Consider this: While the US invests over 3% of GDP in R&D, India invests just around 0.7%, as per the government response in the Rajya Sabha. 

The government needs to channel more resources into research initiatives. A good move in this direction is the recent launch of a Rs 1-lakh-crore fund by the government to boost innovation and private investment for high-risk R&D projects. 

Private sector R&D expenditure is over 70% in the US and China, while it’s merely 36% in India, as per the Economic Survey. More private investment in startups and emerging tech can fuel innovation in AI.

⚡The Indian IT sector focuses on outsourcing and service delivery, but not much on creating innovative products. While this jugaad-like approach yields quick results, it comes at the cost of long-term innovation and strategic planning. To compete globally, companies need to pivot towards developing their own products and solutions. 

🌎Emigration of skilled professionals to Western countries remains a challenge. Indians account for roughly 30% of the workforce in Silicon Valley’s tech firms, according to an Economic Times report. What drives people to leave are advanced research opportunities abroad, better living conditions, and work-life balance. 

We need to make changes to our work environment to retain talent, which includes improving our infrastructure, streamlining bureaucratic processes, and offering better research incentives.

🎓The current education system in India emphasises the quantity of graduates over the quality of education. This approach stifles creativity and original thought. Our curriculum needs to be adapted to train students in critical thinking, problem-solving and innovation. This will help India nurture a generation of thinkers and innovators.

💻 India’s contribution to the global computing infrastructure is less than 2%, as highlighted by Nvidia’s Asia South MD Vishal Dhupar at the Startup Mahakumbh. Investing in GPU technology will support startups and academic institutions, while allowing for robust research capabilities in AI and machine learning.

Adapting to the changing scenario is imperative for India to advance in the race. Unless we bring about these critical transformations, we only risk falling further behind in the AI landscape. 

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation