AI is not just tech, needs good policies: Nandan Nilekani
Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani says building AI is just step one—the real test is making sure it actually reaches and benefits everyone.
He said diffusion is difficult and described it as both an art and a science at the India AI Impact Summit, pointing out that it takes more than tech—it needs good policies, smart strategies, and solid institutions to make it work for all.
Nilekani on meeting PM Modi to discuss AI in dairy
Nilekani talked about meeting PM Modi in January to discuss using AI beyond agriculture—like in dairy.
Within three weeks, an application went live; the cooperative covers 3.6 million farmers and processes two billion milk transactions a year.
He compared this rapid rollout to how BHIM-UPI changed payments in India, now used by 500 million people every month.
India can show the world how digital tools can help
He's calling for efforts to scale up AI safely across different sectors using smart tech, rules, and teamwork between government and industry.
Nilekani believes India can lead the way globally by showing how digital tools can solve real-world problems at massive scale.