India's Potential in AI Development

During a discussion in India, Microsoft Chairman and CEO, Satya Nadella, emphasized India's capacity to develop cost-efficient, homegrown AI models despite high capital requirements.

Strategic AI Development

• Nadella proposed that India could redefine its mission to achieve in $1 billion what previously required $10 billion, suggesting a focus on cost-efficiency.
• Highlighted the importance of India making smart strategic choices in AI development.

Mathematical talent and AI Efficiency

• India has the mathematical talent necessary to develop the next computational efficiency that surpasses current transformer architectures.
• AI can increase operational efficiency by 10-15% annually, leading to a potential 100% improvement over 5-6 years.

AI's Impact and Responsibilities

• Thinking with AI, but working with colleagues, will be the “new workflow”, and people can build a “swarm of agents” to help them.
• Nadella stressed the need for balance between labor and capital returns, a decision influenced by policy and politics.
• AI should not have negative unintended consequences that outweigh its benefits.

Government's Role and Initiatives

• Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for IT, emphasized that AI benefits should reach grassroots levels and transform village life.
• India is poised to be both the use case and talent capital for AI.
• The government may introduce new laws if existing ones under the IT Act prove insufficient to tackle AI harms.

Collaborations and Future Outlook

• Nadella announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Microsoft and India AI to advance AI and emerging technologies.
• Focus on making AI beneficial for Indian languages and industries.
• Microsoft is committed to leveraging AI for innovation, enhanced productivity, and fostering inclusive growth across India.

Top Cities for Women in India Report

Bengaluru emerged as the top city for women in India, surpassing Chennai, according to the third edition of the Top Cities for Women in India’ (TCWI) report by The Avtar Group.

Top 10 Cities for Women

• Bengaluru
• Chennai
• Mumbai
• Hyderabad
• Pune
• Kolkata
• Ahmedabad
• Delhi
• Gurugram
• Coimbatore

Sixteen cities from South India ranked among the top 25, highlighting the region's gender inclusivity.

Study Overview

• A total of 120 cities across India were assessed.
• Rankings were based on the City Inclusion Score (CIS).
  • CIS was derived from three pillars:
    • Social Inclusion Score (SIS) 
    • Industrial Inclusion Score (IIS)
    • Citizen Experience Score (CES)

Details of Inclusion Scores

• Social Inclusion Score: Comprises city liveability, safety, women’s employment representation, and empowerment.
• Industrial Inclusion Score: Assesses the inclusivity of organisations towards women across industries.
• Citizen Experience Score: Women's assessment based on six pillars:
  • Skilling and employment 
  • Caregiving support 
  • Transport and accommodation infrastructure 
  • Quality of life 
  • Efficiency of government bodies 
  • Safety

According to Saundarya Rajesh, founder-president of Avtar Group, achieving the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 requires gender-inclusive cities to optimize women's potential.

Future of Jobs in India by 2030

According to 'Future of Jobs 2025' report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), several factors will influence the future of jobs in India:

• Increased Digital Access
• Geopolitical Tensions
• Climate-Mitigation Efforts

These elements will be pivotal in shaping employment and skills demand in the coming years.

Key Trends and Investments

Indian companies are heavily investing in new technologies:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Robotics
• Autonomous Systems

As a result, job roles such as Big Data specialists, AI and machine learning experts, and security management professionals are projected to grow rapidly.

Shift in Hiring Practices

To meet talent needs, Indian organizations are:

• Hiring from diverse talent pools.
• Adopting skills-based hiring approaches by removing degree requirements.

AI Adoption and Training

Highlights from the report include:

• 96% of Indian organizations are implementing AI programs, compared to 88% globally.
• India and the US lead in generative AI training enrollments on platforms like Coursera.

Corporate sponsorship greatly enhances GenAI training uptake.

Technological Transformation

Indian employers expect significant shifts in operations with:

• 35% prioritizing semiconductors and computing technologies.
• 21% focusing on quantum and encryption technologies.

Skill Evolution by 2030

By 2030, it is anticipated that:

• 38% of workers' core skills in India will evolve.
• This is slightly lower than the global forecast of 39%.

AI-Driven Automation and Digitization in India

AI-driven automation and digitization are providing intangible benefits to organizations in India by facilitating zero-touch processes, which reduce friction across various industries.

Zero-Touch Operations

• These operations run end-to-end with minimal or no human intervention through automation, AI, and integrated digital systems.
• Significant improvements have been noted in several sectors like finance, IT, healthcare, manufacturing, and citizen services.
• A Deloitte study highlights productivity gains and cost savings of 65% in the BPM/ITeS industry due to low-touch operations.
  • Customer satisfaction improved by 25% and revenue grew by 10% with the deployment of AI chatbots and voice bots.

India's Digital Public Infrastructure

• UPI and Digi Yatra: Successful examples of zero-touch operations.
  • UPI processed ₹23.49 lakh crores across 16.58 billion transactions in October 2024, showing a 45% annual growth.
  • Digi Yatra app simplifies air travel by enabling contactless and paperless airport entry, saving resources and time.

Telecom Sector and eSIM

• eSIM: Gaining traction among telecom operators and IoT users for seamless connectivity.
• India's eSIM growth is slow, with only about 10% of smartphones supporting it compared to 70% in the US.

Humanoid Technology and Robotics

• Companies like Reliance Jio and Addverb are advancing in humanoid tech, aiming to launch AI-driven humanoid robots in 2025.
• Robotics in manufacturing increases precision, efficiency, and safety, offering a strategic realignment of human labor.

Challenges for MSMEs

Despite the benefits, India's 113 million MSMEs face challenges in adopting robotics due to lack of capital and technology skills. However, long-term benefits like higher production and improved quality controls could offset initial investments.

India's Look East Policy and Odisha's Strategic Importance

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar emphasized Odisha's pivotal role in India's Look East Policy, highlighting the state's potential in Trade, Technology, and Tourism (3Ts). He presented a compelling case for investment in Odisha at the 18th annual Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD).

Key Highlights

• Trade:
  • Odisha's historical significance in trade dates back to the 'Bali Yatra', which marked its connection to Southeast Asia.
  • The state's strategic location on the eastern seaboard offers substantial potential for expanding India's trade connections globally.
  • Resources in Odisha require investments, facilities, and connectivity to add value and boost trade.
• Technology:
  • In the digital era, technology is closely associated with trust and talent.
  • Odisha's young demographic and robust educational infrastructure present significant opportunities for technological collaboration.
• Tourism:
  • Odisha holds tremendous potential in tourism, a sector known for its employment generation and multiplier effect.
  • Investing in tourism in Odisha contributes to the state's development and inclusive growth.

Global Partnerships and Growth

The Minister emphasized the importance of global partnerships for India's growth, stressing that no country can grow in isolation. He highlighted the role of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) in fostering such collaborations, which are crucial for resource supplementation, technology infusion, and the introduction of best practices to realize India's potential.