India to be global data, AI capital: Microsoft India chief on India@100

At a talk held by the Nasscom Technology and Leadership Forum, on Wednesday, Anant Maheshwari, Microsoft India chief & CP Gurnani, CEO of Tech Mahindra speak about the key challenges and possibilities that are shaping India’s digital roadmap.

Indian IT industry is a source of global innovation and capability building for organisations across the world, said the Microsoft India chief.

Technology is an enabler that is helping us shape the future – and it is more human than anyone expected, added the Tech Mahindra CEO.

Maheshwari also added that it was important to ask what technology should do versus what technology can do.

“When we talk about digital skilling, we think of platforms where you’re teaching coding or high end skills to create AI or ML technologies, but it has to be a lot more inclusive,” said Maheshwari. For example, the security guard, today, is effectively managing communication, logistics and other tasks digitally, and it is important to ensure that he has the digital skills needed to do his job. “Skilling, access and inclusion go hand in hand in bridging the digital divide,” he said.

The talk concluded with how they viewed India at 100 years old, Gurnani said that the dream of digital India should be where digital is helping transform lives and livelihoods, and that the impact is visible at the grassroots. “We have to work together to drive a seamless, transparent and digital ecosystem where the results are measured by creating opportunities,” he said.

Maheshwari said that he would “imagine India to be the data and AI capital for the planet and everything done in this country to create innovations for the rest of the world.”

CT Bureau