Talent, R&D key to India's AI ambitions

India will need to strengthen its talent pool, research and development (R&D) capabilities, computing infrastructure, and data systems to translate advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies into economic and social benefits, according to a KPMG report.

The report said technology would play a key role in determining India's future growth, productivity, competitiveness, and public service delivery. However, it stressed that developing new technologies alone would not be enough, and the country would need the capabilities to deploy them at scale.

"The question is whether India can develop the talent, research capabilities, enterprises, data infrastructure, and institutions needed to create value from them at scale," the report said.
The report identified five key building blocks for translating technological innovation into practical outcomes: talent, research and development, computing and data infrastructure, enterprises that can scale technology, and digital public infrastructure.

It said India would need skilled professionals across research, engineering, data science, design, and technical trades to support the development and deployment of emerging technologies.
Strengthening research capabilities in universities, laboratories, and businesses would also be important, alongside mechanisms to move discoveries from research settings into commercial use.

The report highlighted computing and data infrastructure as another key requirement, particularly for AI, which depends on secure and well-governed data ecosystems.
It also emphasised the role of businesses, ranging from start-ups to established companies, in building and scaling technology products and services.
The report cited India's digital payments ecosystem as an example of how technology infrastructure can transform economic activity.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) processed more than 24,161 crore transactions worth around Rs 314 lakh crore in FY2025-26. The platform had onboarded 55.49 crore users as of June 2026.
"Technology, after all, is only as valuable as the outcomes it enables," the report said, highlighting the importance of translating technological progress into practical economic and social benefits. - ANI