Artificial intelligence is only valuable when applied effectively, and India is aiming to lead the way in deploying AI at scale. According to Nandan Nilekani, Non-Executive Chairman of Infosys and former Chairman of the Unique ID Authority of India, AI can play a key role in developing digital public infrastructure (DPI), unlocking huge benefits for society.

AI and Digital Public Infrastructure
AI and DPI have a complementary relationship, with DPI providing the data and systems foundation needed for AI to thrive. In turn, AI helps accelerate and optimize the effectiveness of DPI. This combination can bring about major advances in areas ranging from digital governance to public services.

A prime example of how AI is becoming more accessible is the emergence of DeepSeek – a competitor to OpenAI’s GPT developed by Hangzhou-based DeepSeek. This model proves that powerful AI systems can be built without billions of dollars, opening up opportunities for countries like India to join the global AI race.

India’s Investment in Large Language Models (LLM)
While investing billions of dollars in developing LLMs may not be feasible for India, if the cost can be brought down to $50 million, it is an opportunity worth considering. However, Nilekani stressed that rather than focusing on creating LLMs, it is more important to see how AI applications can have a real impact on society.

With the government’s AI strategy, India has the potential to create cutting-edge AI models in the near future. Applying AI to key areas such as healthcare, education and digital finance can help the country fully exploit the technology's potential, bring widespread benefits and consolidate its leading position in the AI ​​era.