At the Carnegie Global Technology Summit 2025, Infosys Co-Founder and Chairman Nandan Nilekani urged caution amid the excitement around artificial intelligence, stating that despite the hype, AI adoption remains a complex challenge. He emphasised that while the possibilities are immense, successful integration will require deep structural changes across organisations.
Changing Habits and Workflows Essential for AI Integration
“Everybody is talking about AI,” Nilekani said, “but fundamentally, the challenges of implementation are the same.” He stressed that AI cannot simply be overlaid onto existing systems; it must be woven into the fabric of enterprise and government processes. “You have to change the workflow in enterprises or in government, so that AI is part of it,” he added.
Nilekani further remarked that AI adoption requires more, not less, effort. “AI doesn’t mean it’s going to be easier to do. It’s going to take the same effort, if not more,” he said, highlighting the growing responsibility that comes with entrusting decisions to machines.
India’s Digital Maturity to Speed Up AI Rollout
Despite the challenges, Nilekani expressed optimism about India’s readiness to embrace AI. “Because of India’s situation today and the technological sophistication that we have been able to accomplish in the last 15 years or so, it is going to be much faster,” he said. He believes the gap between global AI developments and India’s adoption will be “very short.”
He also noted that India’s prior digital transformation—especially in areas like digital public infrastructure—has laid a solid foundation for faster and more effective AI integration.
Trust in Non-Human Intelligence is a New Frontier
Nilekani underscored that AI represents a new kind of technological shift. “For the first time, we intend to place trust in non-human intelligence,” he said, contrasting this with earlier deterministic, predictable technologies. He observed that people are more forgiving of human error than machine error, making enterprise and public sector AI deployments particularly complex.
In the consumer space, he noted, AI adoption may be more rapid and lenient. “You’re willing to live with the fact that the consumer chatbot has occasional mistakes,” Nilekani said, “but in enterprise and public sectors, it’s much harder.”
Public Sector AI Implementation Will Take Longer
Calling AI implementation in the public sector the “most difficult,” Nilekani cited structural limitations such as ministries and departmental silos. He cautioned that while consumer AI may grow rapidly, governments and enterprises must prepare for longer, more deliberate integration timelines.
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GTS 2025 Spotlights Global Tech Collaboration
Nilekani’s remarks were delivered during the ninth edition of the Global Technology Summit (GTS), co-hosted with India’s Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. Themed “Sambhavna”—meaning “possibilities” in Hindi—this year’s summit explores how emerging technologies can drive economic growth and shape global governance.
With over 25 sessions and 100+ speakers, GTS 2025 includes ministers, industry experts, and academics from India, the US, UK, EU, and over a dozen other nations. Key themes include digital public infrastructure, AI, cybersecurity, and international tech policy.
