AI adoption requires commitment, will not just happen by drift: Nageswaran

Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran on Monday said AI adoption cannot just happen by drift and requires a clear commitment to aligning technological adoption with mass employability. In a virtual address to the AI Impact Summit 2026, Nageswaran said countries need to move decisively by strengthening foundation or education, high quality skills, expanding labour-intensive service sectors, and removing the regulatory bottlenecks.

Adopting AI requires a collaborative approach, he said, adding that it has to be a ‘Team India’ effort, including the private sector and academics, as well as policymakers. “The window is open still, but it is not indefinite. We must act and act now,” he said. “For India, it is not a debate about the future of work, it is a decision about the future of growth and social stability,” Nageswaran said. “With foresight, institutional discipline, and relentless execution, India can become the first large society to demonstrate true human abundance,” Nageswaran said.

The window is open still, but it is not indefinite. We must act and act now V Anantha Nageswaran Chief Economic Advisor