During an open and detailed discussion with Lex Fridman, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spelled out India’s vision in artificial intelligence, Indian talent’s global reach, and the unreplaceable role of human intellect in molding technology.
India’s Role in AI Development
During the nearly two-and-a-half-hour discussion, PM Modi emphasized that no single country can lead AI innovation alone, asserting India’s crucial role in the global AI revolution. “No matter what the world does with AI, it will remain incomplete without India,” he stated. “I am making this statement very responsibly. Can anyone develop AI entirely on their own?”
He pointed out that even though India might have come late to the AI party, it is fast catching up—like its record 5G rollout. “Consider 5G, for instance: the world first thought we were very behind. But when we began, we were the fastest country in the world to deploy wide-area 5G networks,” PM Modi said.
India’s Talent Pool and Global Impact
PM Modi emphasized India’s rich talent pool as a prime force behind technological progress. He remembered having recently spoken to an American technology chief who had noted that while a job vacancy in engineering in the U.S. would receive a few applicants, in India, a football field would not be large enough to hold them.
“India has access to an incredibly large pool of talent, and that’s our biggest strength,” he said. “Artificial intelligence is driven, powered, and created by human intelligence. And the richest source of that intelligence lies in India’s youth and talent pool.”
He also recognized the huge impact of Indian-origin CEOs of top global technology companies, such as Sundar Pichai (Google), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), and Aravind Srinivas (Perplexity AI).
PM Modi credited the success of Indian professionals to cultural values of equal respect for where one is born and where they work. “Indian culture has the thought that there has to be as much respect for the land of work as for the land of birth. As much as you work for the land of birth, you must feel the same attachment for the land of work,” he explained.
Apart from technical acumen, he stressed the value of teamwork and leadership qualities, which he is convinced Indians inherit because of growing up in joint families and open societies. “The capacity to work as a team is much more important than possessing knowledge,” he pointed out.
India’s Rise in Space Technology
Switching to India’s increasing dominance of space exploration, PM Modi noted the quick growth of the country’s private space industry. In a matter of years, more than 200 private firms have ventured into the space technology arena.
He also pointed out India’s frugal method of space missions, asserting, “Chandrayaan-style missions are very cost-effective. India’s Chandrayaan mission cost less than what it takes Hollywood to make a single blockbuster movie! When the world gets to see how efficient we are, they obviously think, ‘Why not collaborate with India?'”
AI and Human Intelligence
Tackling fears of AI replacing human jobs, PM Modi denied a technology-vs-humanity war, saying that humans have always adjusted to the introduction of technology. “It has always been so. And it is after all humans who discover the optimal means to leverage technology,” he said.
He thinks AI is forcing a greater consideration of human nature itself. “And I think that with AI, humans are now being compelled to think about what it really means to be human. This is the true power of AI.”
While acknowledging AI’s capabilities in creation and prediction, he 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 made it clear that AI development must be a common purpose, not a race. He pointed out that India is not just developing theoretical AI frameworks but also real-world implementations, such as a novel, open GPU marketplace.
Inviting global cooperation in AI, he reaffirmed India’s resolve to mould technology with a human touch.
