• AI is no longer just a tool it's shaping India's economic, cultural, and ethical fabric across sectors, from agriculture to healthcare.
• The real challenge isn't AI adoption, but responsible governance built on trust, transparency, and inclusive access.
• Success in the AI era won’t be measured by skill alone, but by adaptability, creativity, and how well humans evolve to work alongside machines.

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept, it’s a force that’s rewriting the Indian growth story across every imaginable sector. On this AI Appreciation Day, rather than celebrating just the advancements, let’s shift the lens. Let’s view AI not only as a technological tool, but as a cultural, economic, and ethical disruptor that has quietly redefined India’s priorities, industries, and even values.

From the lush farmlands of Punjab to the automated manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu, and from hospitals in Delhi to start-up hubs in Bengaluru, AI is the invisible orchestrator, analyzing, predicting, automating, and augmenting. But is this AI-led growth story one-dimensional? Far from it. India’s journey with AI is not just about deployment it’s also about adaptation, disruption, and the fine line between dependence and dominance.

Santhosh Muralidharan, Founder, Haidata, says, "Using tools like ChatGPT is seen as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it saves a significant amount of time and increases daily productivity. On the other hand, there’s a growing concern about a slight decline in cognitive ability due to over-reliance. While it's efficient for handling time-sensitive tasks, it's important not to depend on it entirely. In situations where time allows, relying on personal thought and creativity is essential. The key lies in maintaining a balance using AI as a support, not a substitute, for independent thinking and problem-solving".

On this AI Appreciation Day, let’s not just admire what AI can do let’s pause and reflect on what it should do. Because the true power of AI doesn’t lie in replacing humans, but in challenging us to become more human in how we design it, deploy it, and ensure it serves everyone.

AI Takes Center Stage in India’s Growth Story

India’s AI landscape has moved from proof-of-concept to proof-of-scale. According to BCG, over 80% of Indian companies now consider AI a core strategic priority higher than the global average. What started as automation for convenience is now structural transformation, hospitals leveraging AI for early cancer diagnosis, edtech platforms using personalized learning engines, or agritech solutions predicting monsoon patterns to reduce crop failure. In sectors like BFSI, retail, logistics, healthcare, and manufacturing, AI has matured from being a backstage player to becoming the lead actor.

India’s own indigenous initiatives like BharatGPT and NITI Aayog’s national AI strategy are steering public-sector adoption, ensuring AI doesn’t remain a luxury of metros but reaches grassroots challenges like groundwater detection or urban planning in tier-2 cities.

The Unseen Infrastructure

It’s time we shift the dialogue from ‘Where can we use AI?’ to ‘How should we govern AI?’ For India to lead the world responsibly, AI adoption must be built on three invisible pillars: trust, transparency, and talent.

India needs more than policies it needs enforceable AI governance frameworks that protect citizens without stifling innovation. Data privacy laws, ethical standards for AI usage, and clear guidelines on accountability must become as robust as the algorithms themselves.

Equally important is the inclusion agenda. The real test of AI in India isn’t in upscale hospitals or Fortune 500 boardrooms. It’s in the smallest primary health center, the remotest government school, and the digital interfaces of the average citizen. An AI revolution that leaves behind the underserved is no revolution at all.

The Global AI Shockwave

The starkest signal of this shift came from one of the world’s biggest tech giants Microsoft. In just seven months of 2025, the company laid off over 15,000 employees, citing its transition toward an ‘AI-first future’. Some were let go via cold calendar invites. Some heard the news through internal portals. And many were in roles that, until recently, were considered stable: sales, support, data analysis, even marketing.

Across the broader tech sector, the trend is unmistakable. Over 77,000 jobs have vanished across 342 companies in 2025 alone, many due to the integration of AI systems. This isn't just about efficiency it’s about redefining work itself. Sales reps are being replaced by AI-powered CRMs, coders by generative programming tools, customer service agents by virtual assistants, and entry-level analysts by predictive models.

Nvidia's CEO recently predicted that without innovation in reskilling, AI could displace up to 50% of entry-level white-collar roles, pushing global unemployment to 20% in just five years. This isn’t science fiction. It’s a reality playing out in boardrooms and Zoom calls right now.

AI Isn’t the Answer it’s the Question We Must Answer!

The most profound shift isn’t technological it’s philosophical. The workplace is no longer about competing with your peers. It’s about staying relevant in a world where algorithms outperform you.

Resumes are being replaced by portfolios of adaptability. Problem-solving now includes prompting an AI effectively. Soft skills, creativity, and critical thinking traits once secondary are fast becoming the last bastions of human value.

The question is no longer ‘Will AI take my job?’ but ‘Am I evolving fast enough to work alongside AI?’

Final Note - A Day to Remember and Rethink

AI Appreciation Day shouldn't just be about admiration it should be about awareness.

Let’s appreciate AI for what it does: optimize, accelerate, analyze. But let’s also remember what it cannot do empathize, imagine in the human sense, or understand the cultural fabric of a country as complex as India.

If India truly wishes to lead the AI revolution, it must do so with purpose. Not just by building smarter machines, but by building a more inclusive, ethical, and human-centered AI ecosystem.

Today, let’s not just say thank you to AI. Let’s ask better of it. And of ourselves.

Also Read: Using AI Too Much Can Weaken the Mind

Insights from India’s Leading Voices on the Power of Artificial Intelligence

Siva Balakrishnan, Founder & CEO, Vserve

”On AI Appreciation Day 2025, we celebrate AI’s power to transform education while safeguarding human agency. AI should elevate educators’ creativity and judgment, not replace them. By blending smart automation with empathetic teaching, we can use AI to scale learning without diminishing our human essence. Our goal must be to empower people to direct technology, ensuring classrooms where technology amplifies human insight and values”.

Deekshith Marla, Co-Founder, Arya.ai

“AI Appreciation Day is a reminder of how far artificial intelligence has come, not just as a technology, but as a trusted force shaping decisions, industries, and the way we live. It’s a moment to celebrate the creativity and collaboration that drive AI forward, and to reflect on how we can steer its progress with care".

Shrirang Deshpande, Country Head, Strategic Programmes, Vertiv India

“India’s AI sector is anticipated to contribute around US$400 billion to the national economy by 2030. Today, we celebrate AI for how far it has taken us and for the possibilities it continues to unlock. In India, the transition is evident, organisations that once explored use cases are now deploying AI at scale”.

Praveer Kochhar, Co-Founder & CPO, KOGO AI

"AI Appreciation Day is a good moment to pause and take in just how far we’ve come. In just a few years, AI has gone from a backend tool to an ally we actively collaborate with to make decisions, solve problems, and even shape strategy. It’s changed how we work, how we think, and in many ways, how we build".

Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India

“Artificial Intelligence has evolved from a futuristic concept to a transformative force, particularly in the semiconductor and smartphone industries. AI is redefining user experiences by enabling everyday features, from voice assistants and computational photography to real-time translations".

Michael Sell, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Institutional Outreach and Business Development, Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP)

"Artificial intelligence has the potential to fundamentally reshape risk management, decision-making, and operational efficiency, offering immense opportunity to drive innovation and enhance resilience. However, it also presents critical challenges - particularly in ensuring fair, unbiased and transparent decisions, and addressing complex ethical, regulatory, and governance issues. In India’s rapidly evolving digitized economy, AI can play a pivotal role in strengthening financial resilience".

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