NEW DELHI — Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, positioned AI as the cornerstone of India’s path to becoming a developed country by 2047 during his keynote at the Global AI Impact Summit on Thursday.

The event at Bharat Mandapam drew top industry figures who committed to centering AI in national ambitions. Ambani linked India’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision—a fully developed India—to uplifting the entire Global South through technology.

AI promises an era of ‘super-abundance,’ Ambani said. He argued it could wipe out poverty and spread prosperity worldwide if handled correctly. The world faces a choice, he added: let AI consolidate power among a few or make it a tool for everyone.

Concentrating compute power, data, and AI in select nations would widen inequalities, Ambani warned. He pushed for affordable, accessible AI that benefits all people. India, he predicted, will rank among the top global AI powers this century.

Ambani pointed to India’s advantages. Its young population fuels innovation. Democracy supports inclusive growth. Vast digital infrastructure supports scale. And data flows abundantly from daily activity.

Nearly one billion Indians use the internet, according to government data. The Aadhaar system has issued 1.4 billion unique digital IDs. UPI processes more than 12 billion transactions each month.

These numbers showcase India’s digital might, Ambani said. They position the country to lead in AI adoption and development. Other summit speakers echoed his optimism. They pledged investments and collaborations to build AI ecosystems across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and education.

Ambani’s remarks came amid rapid AI advancements worldwide. India aims to leapfrog traditional development stages using technology. Officials note the country’s startup boom—over 100,000 recognized startups—and growing tech talent pool as tailwinds.

The summit highlighted partnerships between government, industry, and academia. Discussions covered ethical AI deployment, skill-building programs, and infrastructure needs like data centers and computing resources.

Ambani stressed urgency. Nations must act now to shape AI’s trajectory. India, with its scale and speed, stands ready to pioneer inclusive AI models, he said.

Reactions poured in quickly. Tech leaders praised the vision. Critics, however, questioned execution challenges, including regulatory hurdles and energy demands for AI hardware.

Still, Ambani’s speech set a bullish tone. It reinforced India’s bet on AI as a growth multiplier. The Global South, he argued, can follow suit and close the gap with richer economies.