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Infosys co-founder and chairman Nandan Nilekani has expressed optimism about India’s AI-driven future, emphasizing that falling costs, government support, and strategic adaptation will position India as a leader in artificial intelligence. While acknowledging that AI will disrupt employment, Nilekani remained optimistic about the future of work.
“Some jobs will be affected—certain tasks will be automated—but very few jobs will be entirely eliminated,” he told MoneyControl. “AI will make humans more productive and create new jobs we haven’t even thought of yet.”
He also cautioned against over-reliance on AI, emphasising that human collaboration remains key. “You can have all the AIs in the world, but if you can’t get five people to work together and collaborate, then you cannot go anywhere,” he said.
Instead of focusing solely on technical skills that may become obsolete, Nilekani advocated for adaptable capabilities that AI cannot replicate. He pointed to first-principles thinking as a critical skill: “AI is more mechanistic in its approach. Being able to go back to first principles and analyze something is something AI cannot do.”
Pointing to the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which recently topped app download charts, Nilekani called it a “big breakthrough,” proving that AI models don’t require billions of dollars to develop.
Nilekani highlighted the India AI Mission, which he believes will drive significant AI model developments within the next year. He also stressed that AI development is becoming more affordable and efficient, making it possible for India to innovate without massive investments.
“Would I spend a billion dollars on a large language model? No. But if I can develop one for $50 million, sure,” he stated, underscoring how rapidly AI costs are dropping.
Nilekani sees India’s real AI challenge and opportunity in applying the technology at scale, particularly in education and agriculture. “What I want to see is the application of AI at the population scale. That’s the way we have to go,” he said.
With AI becoming cheaper and more accessible, along with government-backed initiatives, India is poised to emerge as a global leader in AI-driven transformation across multiple sectors.