AI Part 2

AI is a technology, hardware and energy tool, but foremost it is a geopolitical tool. We need to build our own AI brains and data pipelines. We may gain access to AI, but the risk is losing control over it and losing the ability to adapt it. India has to accelerate its sovereign intelligence because intelligence is becoming a resource for the modern economy.

AI and cloud infrastructure businesses will sell access to AI computing power. AI solutions will allow companies to reduce AI costs. AI is not replacing the profession of Chartered Accountants, but it is redefining their work. Traditionally, much of a CA’s time has been devoted to reconciliation, tax and audit documentation. AI can very easily reduce the time and cost of this work, but professionals will still be needed for judgement.

The future of CAs will not be defined by AI alone. It will be defined by how they use AI. Success will depend on combining financial expertise with technology. AI can identify anomalies, but it cannot explain them. That will remain a human responsibility.

AI cannot govern itself; it requires manpower to do so. It is important to stay close to changing needs. The size of AI projects is increasing because customer confidence in the technology is growing. India cannot own every AI layer, but India must build control over its data to achieve true AI sovereignty. We need independence over our data, our operations and the technology we work with. You can only drive fast when you have the ability to control it.

We need our own models, our own infrastructure and our own platforms. Infrastructure is the priority because without infrastructure we cannot run AI at scale. Models may do the job, but responsibility stays with the human. Control and optionality are the critical parts of this technology.

Every revolution carries a shadow. The risk is quietly building around the speed and security of AI. For decades, agencies have monetised time. Bigger teams and longer production cycles translated into higher revenues. AI breaks that equation.

The question is not whether machines will replace creatives, but whether agencies can reinvent how they create value before AI changes everything. If everybody has access to the same tools, they may produce the same stuff. Then how will creativity work?

The biggest talent shortage in AI is not only model development; it is around deploying AI at production scale. Companies are looking for professionals who can combine AI with robotics. The challenge is to spot the people with AI knowledge and experience who understand the complete system. The focus is now shifting from building to deploying AI at production scale.

The next phase of growth lies in becoming the “AI control tower,” which can govern the AI tool in a better way. Humans were supposed to be the weakest link in cyber-security, but AI attackers are more powerful than all vulnerabilities. If we want to become a global leader in AI, we have to develop the expertise required to understand, evaluate and adapt this technology.

India has also taken steps toward AI governance through data localization policies. Enterprises must move to redesign entire business processes around human-AI collaboration. Trust is becoming as important as intelligence.

AI presents an opportunity that is very large if we recognise where the greatest value will be created. AI derives its strength from neural networks inspired by the human brain, and spiritual intelligence is the capacity to act with awareness. It reminds us that progress is meaningful only when it enhances human dignity and collective well-being.

Actually, AI is grammatically correct but emotionally dead. AI is a revolutionary technology and a great turning point of history. Many earlier turning points caused immense environmental damage, so it should not be surprising that AI data centres will also affect the environment. We have to adapt AI while keeping its security and privacy challenges manageable.

AI data centres can create critical shortages of power and drinking water. Today, new technology with airflow management and heat exchange could cut cooling energy by around 40%. Instead of cooling entire rooms with chilled air, specially designed liquids circulate directly around processors. This will reduce electricity and water use.

India is rapidly moving forward on a new journey and is writing a new chapter in AI and space technology. AI has the potential to boost productivity. Some fields, like medical care, education and agriculture, do not need large models or big data centres to reap its benefits.

AI will transform the world, but ethics will remain uniquely human. Humility and a sense of purpose will remain the qualities of humans; a machine cannot replace them.

AI is not replacing people, but it is a way to multiply human capability. AI is like a cycle; it does not have any destination, so drive it carefully to make it efficient and beneficial. It is about how you use it to maximise your output and your creativity.