Sundar Pichai sees ‘extraordinary’ AI future for India, announces US-India connectivity push
Google CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted India’s AI potential and announced the India-America Connect Initiative, new subsea cables, a USD 15 billion AI hub, and major skilling programmes to boost AI growth in the country.
Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, has highlighted India’s potential in artificial intelligence (AI), calling it one of the most promising AI ecosystems worldwide. He stated that AI is “the biggest platform shift of our lifetime” and further added that it has the power to transform sectors ranging from healthcare to agriculture.
According to Pichai, India’s diversity, robust digital public infrastructure and strong language ecosystem will provide a powerful base for AI innovation. He further said that the country could serve as a blueprint for democratising AI across the globe.
AI must be built on inclusivity
Pichai also emphasised the AI adoption, which could prioritise trust, safety and inclusivity. He said that the AI systems must work across multiple Indian languages and further adapt to local contexts, ensuring real-world benefits.
He said, “Trust grows when technology is transparent, responsible, and grounded in outcomes.”
He further added that the artificial intelligence must deliver measurable improvements in people’s daily lives.
India-America Connect Initiative announced
A major highlight of Pichai’s address was the announcement of the India-America Connect Initiative, which will aim at the deployment of new subsea cable routes which will help to enhance AI connectivity between the United States, India and countries across the Southern Hemisphere.
The new project will strengthen digital infrastructure in India, and will further improve high-speed data transfer, which is very critical for AI workloads. Pichai said Google has full-stack connectivity in India and is heavily invested in expanding the advanced AI infrastructure in the country.
AI Hub and Infrastructure boost worth USD 15 billion
Pichai further referred to Google’s earlier announcement of a USD 15 billion AI hub in India. The proposal of this hub is to include gigawatt-scale compute capacity and an international subsea cable gateway.
This investment will be generating new jobs as well as strengthening India’s AI ecosystem with world-class infrastructure. The move further highlights the growing global confidence in India as a major AI development centre.
Large-scale skilling and education initiatives
Google unveiled ambitious skilling programmes which will help the youth for the AI-driven future. These will further include a Google AI Professional Certificate Programme in English and Hindi. It will further be designed for students and early-career professionals.
The company will also collaborate with Karma Yogi Bharat to support over 20 million public servants with AI tools. Additionally, partnerships with Atal Tinkering Labs aim to introduce generative AI tools in 10,000 schools.
Google further announced a USD 30 million AI for Science Impact Challenge to accelerate global research.
Collaboration with Indian Institutions
Pichai has also focused on AI that creates the greatest impact when developed alongside institutions that understand local communities. He stated about the collaborations with IITs, government agencies and research institutions to expand AI access responsibly in India.
With large-scale infrastructure investments and skilling initiatives underway, Google’s renewed commitment signals a strong scope of AI growth in India for the upcoming years.
Inputs from PTI