Although AI presents existential pressure on traditional IT services models, Hari Shetty, chief strategist and technology officer, Wipro, feels that Indian IT services companies are the connective tissue of the AI ecosystem, uniquely positioned to translate AI ambition into dependable, enterprise-ready reality. In his opinion, India should prioritise impact-first, sector-led AI that solves large, real-world problems at national scale. At the India AI Impact Summit, he spoke to Sudhir Chowdhary on what it takes to move AI from ambition to real-world impact. Excerpts:
There is an ongoing debate about whether India is lagging in AI innovation. Has India missed this massive opportunity?
India is not lagging in AI at all. I would instead say it is very clear about the role it is choosing to play — a global powerhouse for scaling AI and delivering real-world impact. India has a proven track record of turning complex technologies into simple, universal systems that work at population scale. Our digital public infrastructure — Aadhaar, UPI, Ayushman Bharat, ONDC, Bhashini, and even our space programme — shows a thoughtful, mission-driven approach to technology that prioritises trust, inclusion, and durability over hype. Also, India is a hub for innovation at population scale, where technologies are tested against real constraints — diversity, cost, governance, and adoption and still made to work. Decades of working across global markets providing technology services has taught us how to extract the best value from technology at scale. As AI shifts from experimentation to outcomes, reliability, and impact, it is India’s moment with the right mindset and toolset to leave a lasting impact.
What key areas should India prioritise for AI innovation?
India should prioritise impact-first, sector-led AI that solves large, real-world problems at national scale. Healthcare, agriculture, education, public services, logistics, energy, and urban infrastructure offer the highest return on AI adoption because improvements here directly impact productivity, resilience, and outcomes for our people. The goal is not isolated use cases, but end-to-end transformation of how these systems operate.
Equally critical is the kind of AI India builds. India should lead in efficient, multilingual, and context-aware AI that works across Indian languages, operates on low-cost devices, and functions reliably in resource-constrained environments. Models must be trained on local data, soaked in our culture and built for trust, safety, and governance from day one.
This combination, truly transformational and simplistic deployment, is where India can set global benchmarks. Leadership in AI will be defined not by the biggest models, but by who delivers the broadest, most durable impact.
What can the Indian IT services industry and companies like Wipro contribute?
Indian IT services companies are the connective tissue of the AI ecosystem, uniquely positioned to translate AI ambition into dependable, enterprise-ready reality. With decades of experience building, integrating, and operating mission-critical systems across industries and geographies, we know how to take AI out of labs and embed it into real business and societal workflows.
Our biggest contribution is helping India move from isolated AI use cases to systemic adoption. Our Wipro Intelligence suite of AI platforms, solutions, and transformative offerings can easily be adapted for the Indian context. This includes modernising data foundations, integrating AI into core processes, building industry-specific models, and putting strong governance, security, and responsible-AI frameworks in place.
To this regard, we bring global experience and local context together. Wipro has committed to train one million people on digital and AI skills till 2030. We have also trained and certified our global workforce of 230,000 employees on AI skills at various levels. Through large-scale talent skilling, platform-led innovation, and deep partnerships with clients and governments, we can ensure AI delivers measurable impact at scale. This execution muscle is what will turn India’s AI potential into a sustained national advantage.
Can AI adoption become mainstream in India?
AI adoption in India is already moving towards the mainstream, and the next phase will accelerate rapidly. With the government’s “AI for All” vision, and strong public-private momentum, AI is shifting from pilots to everyday deployment. As with earlier digital transformations, AI’s success in India will not be measured by sophistication, but by usefulness at scale.
Mainstream adoption will be driven by solutions that work silently in the background, embedded into healthcare delivery, education, agriculture, public services, and enterprise workflows delivering consistent outcomes, simplifying lives, connecting people without barriers. India’s experience with large digital platforms shows a clear pattern: when technology is simple, inclusive, and solves real-world problems, adoption can be rapid and widespread.
Do you think AI can drive inclusive growth for India?
Yes, AI can be a powerful driver of inclusive growth for India, if it is designed deliberately for access, scale, and trust. India can use AI to extend intelligence beyond metros and large enterprises into rural areas, MSMEs, and underserved communities. Across sectors, AI can improve access, personalise delivery, and optimise scarce resources in ways that directly affect quality of life.
Inclusive growth will not come from one-size-fits-all models. It will depend on multilingual, affordable, and efficient AI that reflects India’s languages, culture, data realities, and operating constraints. Equally important is embedding AI into platforms and services people already use, making it seamless and integral to how we function.
With the goal of building AI responsibly, AI can act as a great equaliser, enabling productivity for small businesses, resilience for communities, and better outcomes for citizens at scale. That is how technological progress translates into societal progress.