Synopsis
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has underscored India's rapid innovation in artificial intelligence, noting the country's leadership in AI adoption and governance, as evidenced by record app downloads and improved rankings in global indexes.Key Takeaways
- India's AI app downloads reached 3 billion in 2024.
- FM Sitharaman emphasizes India's role in AI governance.
- India ranks 39th in the Global Innovation Index.
- Patent-to-GDP ratio rose from 144 in 2013 to 381 in 2023.
- India is sixth in global intellectual property filings.
Kottayam, Feb 23 (NationPress) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has emphasized the swift innovation occurring in India and the nation's forefront role in embracing artificial intelligence (AI).
During her speech at the IIIT Kottayam convocation, she referenced Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's assertion that India is the 'use case capital of AI,' which she described as a 'very big statement,' indicating that 'we are not merely discussing AI or conducting research; we are executing it on a massive scale.'
Highlighting the growing awareness of AI in India, she mentioned that the country achieved 3 billion downloads of AI-related applications in 2024, far exceeding the US's 1.5 billion and China's 1.3 billion.
'We are not only leading in the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) but are also influencing its governance,' the Finance Minister stated during her address at the IIIT Kottayam convocation in Kerala.
At the recent AI Action Summit in Paris, which India co-chaired with France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remarked that AI transcends national boundaries and is a global responsibility. He emphasized the necessity for AI to be ethical, inclusive, and trustworthy, as noted by FM Sitharaman.
She acknowledged that concerns from certain societal sectors regarding AI potentially fostering undetected unethical practices would not be resolved 'unless we, from the outset, understand it responsibly.'
The Finance Minister further asserted that India is not merely experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI); the central government is actively incorporating feedback from stakeholders and continuously developing policies to ensure AI receives the attention it merits.
She also pointed out that India's position in the Global Innovation Index has risen to 39th place in 2024 among 133 economies, up from 81st in 2015.
FM Sitharaman highlighted that India's patent-to-GDP ratio—an indicator of the economic impact of patent activities—has notably increased from 144 in 2013 to 381 in 2023. The country now ranks seventh in intangible asset intensity, outpacing many high-income economies' growth rates.
Moreover, she noted that India achieved the sixth position in global intellectual property filings according to WIPO in 2023 and improved its Network Readiness Index ranking from 79th in 2019 to 49th in 2024, showcasing progress toward greater innovation and self-sufficiency.
