New Delhi, Feb 17: India accounts for nearly 16 per cent of the world’s artificial intelligence talent, positioning the country as a critical contributor to global AI capability, according to a white paper released at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
The report further projects that India could drive almost 20 per cent of incremental global GDP growth over the next 15 years, underpinned by accelerated AI adoption and institutional deployment across sectors.
From Access to Execution
Titled “AI for All: Catalysing Jobs, Growth, and Opportunity,” the white paper argues that India’s next phase of AI-led growth will depend less on access to technology and more on disciplined execution, institutional capacity, and large-scale adoption.
It calls for reframing the national AI discourse from concerns around automation and job displacement to a strategy centred on productivity gains, governance strengthening, and inclusive participation in the digital economy.
Strategic Collaboration
The white paper was launched by Prosus in partnership with Boston Consulting Group and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Developed through multi-sector consultations with policymakers and industry stakeholders, the report presents a framework to accelerate job creation, enhance productivity, and institutionalise responsible AI across emerging economies.
Institutionalising AI at Scale
The paper highlights India’s Digital Public Infrastructure — including Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, UPI, Account Aggregator and ONDC — as a foundational layer that enables scalable and responsible AI deployment.
Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY and CEO of the IndiaAI Mission, noted that India has built one of the world’s largest AI talent pools alongside robust digital infrastructure. The priority now, he said, is translating these strengths into measurable institutional outcomes.
Industry leaders emphasised that AI must be embedded across agriculture markets, classrooms, healthcare systems, manufacturing and financial services. They stressed that the defining challenge of the next phase is institutionalisation — treating AI as a strategic capability linked directly to economic outcomes and long-term system performance.
The white paper positions India as a potential model for the Global South, arguing that responsible AI deployment can catalyse net employment growth while strengthening governance and trust.
