How India can train for an AI era with human skills

The New AI Power Equation

Look, the AI race isn’t just about who owns the flashiest data center. It’s shifting toward open-source models that anyone with a bit of tech know-how can access. That means costs drop, tools spread, and AI becomes less about who spends the most on hardware and more about who can use smart ideas faster. Ashish Chauhan, the NSE CEO, argues India could become a major AI force in the next 20–30 years if policymakers, firms, and civil society coordinate well. He also warns that the US-China robotics clash will matter a lot, and that India’s strength will come from applying AI to real-world problems. OpenAI adds a cautionary note: AI could advance so quickly that safeguards must keep up, with cost drops that could accelerate discovery. In short, we’re watching a shift from hardware power to accessible, practical AI that people can deploy in everyday business.

AWS’s Matt Garman adds another angle: the most durable advantage for workers will be distinctly human skills—critical thinking, adaptable communication, and the ability to navigate nuance—areas where people still beat machines. OpenAI’s forecast of AI making significant, even “catastrophic” risks if not properly regulated, makes this human-AI balance even more important. All signs point to a global AI race that rewards practical implementation as much as pure capability.

India’s White-Label Advantage: Skills, Reach, and Policy

Here’s the thing: India didn’t need to build every chip or core piece of infrastructure to win the IT revolution. It leveraged its large pool of skilled people, scalable services, and a problem-solving mindset to become indispensable in global tech. That same logic could work with AI. The sweet spot, as Chauhan notes, is to couple robotics with AI—driving productivity in sectors like electricity and telecom and, later, manufacturing. If policymakers, big firms, and start-ups act in concert, India could become a major beneficiary of the AI race.

Goldman Sachs recently upgraded its view on Indian equities, signaling confidence in this shift. The bank sees the Nifty at about 29,000 by end-2026, implying a gain of roughly 14% from today. The drivers? Supportive monetary policy, reforms like GST adjustments, and a rebound in earnings across financials, consumer durables, and technology. In practice, that means more capital for AI-enabled SMEs, more demand for automation in factories, and a larger role for Indian tech services in building and deploying AI solutions for global customers.

But there are risks too. The cost curves OpenAI describes—an aggressive fall in the price of achieving AI intelligence—could widen the gap between who can act fast and who cannot. India must invest in open AI ecosystems, data governance, and robotics pilots that deliver measurable productivity gains. It also needs to ensure workers gain the human skills OpenAI and AWS say will remain essential: critical thinking, collaboration, and clear communication in an AI-enabled world.

What This Means for You and India Now

So, how do you ride this wave? Start with skills. Emphasize critical thinking and problem solving in schools and colleges, and encourage hands-on AI literacy in workplaces. Look for opportunities to pair AI with on-the-ground industries—electricity grids, telecom networks, logistics, and manufacturing—where India already shows strength. For policymakers, the call is clear: nurture open AI ecosystems, back responsible robotics pilots, and ensure safety standards keep pace with rapid innovation. For business, the message is simple: accelerate adoption where AI can cut costs and raise service quality, but pair it with strong human teams.

In this evolving AI era, India’s path isn’t about chasing every gadget but about turning rapid innovation into durable value for people—workers, customers, and communities. The outcome could redefine what “made in India” means in the global AI age.