With India looking at another general election, the creation of an AI ministry is not just a matter of economic leverage but a strategic imperative for national security in the context of technological warfare. The urgency is clear – without it, we risk falling behind in the global technology race and letting our demographic advantage slip into economic liability.

As McKinsey outlines, India’s journey to a $30 trillion economy by 2047 depends on the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The Ministry of AI will lead initiatives to integrate AI into key economic sectors, oversee AI-enabled projects that contribute directly to GDP, and collaborate internationally to maintain a competitive edge. will

However, failure to join this AI revolution could turn our demographic advantage into severe economic pressure. Look at the UAE. In 2017, he set a global precedent by appointing the world’s first AI minister, Omar Ulama. This decision was a clear sign of advancing the AI ​​era.
Why can’t India, with its wealth of tech talent and growing AI potential, make a similar leap?

Many experts who believe in India’s potential to become an economic superpower and a self-reliant nation express the urgent need. “Therefore, the Ministry of AI will allow us to respond quickly, given that $15.7 trillion in new economic value will be created by 2030. Otherwise, just as we are paying dollars for oil, That’s how we’ll be paying for the artificial brain. The future,” Amakant Soni, chairman of AIfoundry and co-founder of ARTPARK (AI & Robotics Technology Park), told me recently.

Daily encounters with AI

Unlike the industrial revolution, which unfolded over centuries, or the digital revolution, where we needed decades to adapt, the AI ​​revolution is moving at an unprecedented pace, profoundly impacting every aspect of society and the economy.

On a recent train journey, as we passed Sangli station in Maharashtra, I was engulfed by a conversation that floated from my berth. A young student spoke about the pride of Chitale Dairy-Pone and their RFID tags. “Imagine,” he said, “once AI steps in, they’ll probably make our shopping list before we can even guess.”

Earlier this week, in a café in Delhi, I overheard a pair of insurance agents grappling with the future. “AI could streamline routine claims, leaving us to deal with the bigger fish,” said one, reaching for his chai. “I need to find an AI course,” he said, admitting that the rules of his game were changing.

This real-life glimpse of the impact of AI highlights the need for the ministry to promote AI literacy through public campaigns and develop targeted training programs, ensuring that all sectors can adapt to AI growth. Additionally, the ministry can implement regulatory frameworks to ensure the ethical integration of AI in industries such as retail and insurance, protecting jobs while increasing efficiency. It will also be responsible for setting fair AI guidelines, ensuring that AI is not used in a way that exacerbates existing inequalities, thus addressing concerns about the social impact of AI. does.

Think of the Ministry of AI as the central nerve in India:

• AI for Good: Applying AI to solve societal challenges, from health to the environment
• Digital Diplomacy: Formulating global AI policies to protect India’s interests
• Advanced Manufacturing: Leveraging AI to increase productivity and competitiveness
• Jobs and Regulations: Creating new tech jobs and setting fair AI guidelines

“A Supermarket of Problems”

Adam Smith talked about how scarce labor can raise wages, which can lead to innovation. Today, as AI reshapes economies, so is change.

Developed countries, facing slow GDP growth and an aging population, are embracing AI for productivity. The situation in India is different. Our challenge? Transforming our large, young workforce into a skilled, AI-ready group. This is where a dedicated AI ministry becomes important.

India’s unique challenge and opportunity lies in its population. With over 1.4 billion people, India has the potential to create the world’s largest AI-powered workforce, especially among the 900 million youth aged 15-64. However, for AI to be effective and ethical, it must be safe and fair, tailored to India’s diverse needs. This can only be achieved through widespread AI adoption and alignment, driven by feedback from this broad population, ensuring that AI systems are developed in a way that India Be inclusive and representative of the social and cultural diversity of

“India has plenty of AI talent and data (perhaps not in the most usable form at the moment), and critically, it presents almost a supermarket of problems (from access to healthcare to (from financial inclusion to 300 million school children to climate change). The world has to be solved,” says Amakant.

India’s position in the global AI race is a paradox of potential. Below is a visual from a study published in Harvard Business Review (HBR) highlights India as a key dark circle, indicating not only the rapid growth of data but also the challenges of using this vast resource effectively. The study uses a ‘TRAIN’ (Advanced AI Nations) index to assess where the top 25 AI nations stand in the race for leadership.

Going beyond just potential

By establishing an AI ministry, India can strategically navigate these challenges, turning its vast data reserves into a powerhouse for innovation and economic growth. The data is there, but without the proper management to manage it, the potential remains just that.

“With strengths in many dimensions, India is the country with the highest potential. It has the largest volume of mobile data consumption and is expected to be the world leader in data consumption by 2028. It is the first It processes more digital payments than any other country. Has the world’s third-largest AI talent pool. While it imposes restrictions on data access, its AI regulation laws are still fluid. ” said Bhaskar Chakraborty, Ajay Bhalla, and Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi in their 2023. HBR The article titled ‘Charting the Emerging Geography of AI’.

“We need to create a large domestic capital pool focused on AI by creating a large public-private $10 billion fund of funds focused on AI so that young entrepreneurs can get behind the problems in India.” Amakant added that given the diversity of data in India, solutions built in India will be robust, secure and equally applicable in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, the European Union and the US.

The message is clear: India’s vast human resources can become a burden if they are not ready for AI. With an AI ministry, India can use technology not only for productivity but also to redefine the country’s journey of work, innovation and growth.

(Pankaj Mishra has been a journalist for two decades and co-founded Factor Daily.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal views of the author.