Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang used remarks at the G20 Innovation Ministerial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to press India on its AI ambitions, telling reporters that the rapid pace of the technology leaves no room for delay.
Huang said India's established information technology industry gives it a strong base to take advantage of the emerging AI platform, describing the country as "one of the world's leading IT industries" and calling AI "the beginning of a new IT platform."
He also recalled meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi roughly a decade ago and hearing him discuss artificial intelligence. His recollection suggests that India's current AI push is part of a longer-term technology vision rather than simply a response to the recent popularity of generative AI.
Huang expressed excitement at seeing "local companies and startups starting in India" take advantage of the technology, contribute to it, and build the local AI economy.
He also said companies could not wait for global standards to emerge and had to take responsibility for developing AI safely, adding that "every single company has to take it upon themselves to develop the technology safely."
Huang believes every country should have the right to build its own AI framework, tailored to local needs.
India will need continued investment in computing capacity, research, talent, startups and AI infrastructure if it wants to transform its existing IT strength into a competitive AI economy. For businesses and technologists operating in India, the message from one of the world's most influential chip makers reinforces that building AI capability is increasingly the measure of strategic relevance.
