Ideas Of India 2025: Speaking at the ABP Network Ideas of India 2025 summit, Dr Manish Gupta, Senior Director at Google DeepMind, urged India to shed its inhibitions and embrace bold innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). In a thought-provoking discussion moderated by celebrated author Chetan Bhagat, Dr Gupta emphasised the need for India to lead in AI research rather than merely adopt foreign technologies.
India Must Innovate, Not Just Implement
Dr Gupta, a leading AI researcher, highlighted how AI has already transformed various industries, from healthcare to agriculture. He stressed that while India has made significant progress in digital adoption, the country must now focus on creating its own AI models and technologies.
“Often in India, we hesitate to do something unprecedented because we fear failure. We need to drop these inhibitions and take bold steps,” Dr Gupta stated. He pointed out that while other nations have invested heavily in AI, India must develop foundational AI models rather than just applications built on foreign tech.
The Cost Myth & India’s AI Potential
Addressing concerns about AI development costs, Dr Gupta dismissed the notion that AI research is prohibitively expensive. “India is not a poor country anymore. If AI leadership requires investment, we should not shy away,” he asserted.
He also encouraged Indian researchers to develop more cost-efficient, energy-saving AI models rather than assuming that AI innovation is limited to wealthier nations.
A Vision For Inclusive AI
Dr Gupta’s team at Google DeepMind is working to make AI more inclusive, particularly for Indian languages. He shared insights into Google DeepMind's Project Vaani, which aims to build AI models that understand over 125 Indian languages, including those with little digital presence.
Citing India’s advancements in space research through ISRO, Dr Gupta argued that the country must adopt the same ambitious mindset in AI. “ISRO showed the world that India can be a leader in space. Why not AI?” he challenged.
As AI reshapes industries worldwide, Dr Gupta’s call for boldness and innovation serves as a clarion call for India. “The future belongs to those who create, not just those who consume,” he remarked, reinforcing the need for India to take charge of its AI destiny.
Can AI Replace Humans?
Discussing the pertinent topic of what a human's role will be reduced to when AI takes over, Dr Gupta said that the point to focus on is not "AI vs human", but rather on "AI augmenting human capability."
"When a human will use AI, I think that human will be able to do far better than a human who is not using AI," Dr Gupta opined. "For example, a doctor who is making use of AI will be a far better doctor as the AI will bring him cases from all corners of medical literature."
"However," Dr Gupta warned, "AI can also hallucinate, so the doctor must make the final choice."
About Dr Manish Gupta
Dr Gupta is a key figure in AI research, serving as Director of Google Research India and an Infosys Foundation Chair Professor at IIIT Bangalore. With a career spanning IBM Research, Xerox, and VideoKen, he played a pivotal role in developing system software for IBM’s Blue Gene/L supercomputer, which earned the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
With 75 research papers, over 7,000 citations, and 19 U.S. patents, Dr Gupta is a recognised leader in AI. His contributions have earned him multiple accolades, including IBM’s Outstanding Technical Achievement Awards and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from IIT Delhi.
Ideas Of India Summit 2025
The Ideas of India Summit features a dynamic mix of political leaders, authors, scientists, business moguls, and artists. Key sessions include Congress MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor on "The Great Indian Migration," a conversation with author Pico Iyer on "The Earth Flame: Searching for Inner Peace," and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant discussing "Conscious Development: Making Governance Ecologically Sensitive." The summit also hosts global perspectives, with former U.S. diplomat Kurt Volker speaking on "The New World Order: View from America."
In addition to thought leaders, the entertainment industry takes center stage, with Bollywood icon Aamir Khan, acclaimed actors Taapsee Pannu, Shabana Azmi, and music maestros like Papon and Ricky Kej sharing their insights. Discussions on sustainability, education, and social transformation further enrich the event, making the ABP Network Ideas of India Summit 2025 a crucial platform for shaping the nation’s future.