During the 2023 Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Summit, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the founder of Paytm, highlighted the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India. Sharma stressed that AI is not merely a technological advancement but a necessity for daily life in India due to limited resources for essential services.
Sharma particularly focused on the challenges faced by the education sector in India. Despite having a favorable demographic profile, the country encounters significant obstacles. English, not being the first language for many, creates barriers for both teachers and students. While the internet and globally accessible videos have improved access to educational content, the absence of an interactive teacher remains a challenge.
Sharma envisioned a future where AI bots, especially those developed in local languages in India, could revolutionize education. He sees AI assisting classroom teaching, helping students overcome language barriers, and gaining global relevance. This vision encompasses education from early stages to post-graduate and doctoral levels.
In addition to education, Sharma highlighted the potential of AI in healthcare and financial services. He emphasized the need for AI solutions tailored to India’s unique needs and data, asserting that the responsibility to develop these solutions lies with Indian entrepreneurs.
Sharma emphasized the importance of India developing its own AI solutions instead of relying solely on Western products. While Western solutions have proven effective for social networks and search engines, AI services must be adapted to local requirements due to the country’s unique data and specific needs.
He stated, “Whether through an open-source large language model or by training a model with Indian data, AI will be key to providing services to our citizens.” Sharma believes that while many countries view AI as an enhancer, he considers AI a basic necessity for serving Indian citizens at scale.
India is hosting the GPAI Summit 2023, with 28 member countries and the EU participating in discussions on AI. The government is working on a consensus-based declaration on AI to address risks and promote innovation.
