Reliance Jio Chairman, Akash Ambani, recently made a powerful appeal during the India Mobile Congress 2024, held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Ambani urged the Indian government to speed up the updates to the draft of the 2020 data centre policy, which focuses on storing Indian data locally. According to him, local data centres are crucial for safeguarding national data while providing a foundation for India’s emerging artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem.
Incentives for AI and Machine Learning Data Centres
Ambani highlighted that India should provide robust incentives for companies looking to establish AI and machine learning data centres. He stressed that data generated in India should be stored within Indian data centres to ensure data sovereignty and security. In addition to incentives, he called for measures that would reduce the cost of operations for these data centres, especially power consumption. He believes that incentivizing Indian companies to build this infrastructure will pave the way for a stronger digital economy.
AI as a Critical Driver for ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047
Ambani reiterated that AI will play a pivotal role in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. He expressed the need for a comprehensive national strategy on AI, driven by self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jio is committed to democratizing AI in India, offering powerful AI models and services at affordable prices, ensuring every Indian benefits from this revolutionary technology.
AI’s Impact on Employment: Evolution, Not Elimination
Ambani addressed concerns about AI’s potential disruption to the job market. He acknowledged that some jobs will inevitably evolve, but he stressed that AI will also create new and exciting employment opportunities, just as the adoption of computers and the internet did in the past. He believes AI will foster entrepreneurship and create a dynamic job market that can rapidly adapt to technological advancements.
Conclusion: Building India’s AI Future
As India marches toward becoming a global leader in AI, Ambani stressed the need for talent generation on a large scale. His call for faster policy updates and incentives reflects a broader vision for a tech-driven, self-reliant India that can lead the world in AI innovations while addressing its evolving workforce needs.
