In a recent dialogue with Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reminisced about a pivotal moment from six years ago when Prime Minister Narendra Modi displayed a keen interest in artificial intelligence (AI) at a time when the technology was not widely discussed. Huang recalled that during their first meeting, PM Modi invited him to address his cabinet about the potential of AI, indicating the Prime Minister's forward-thinking vision even before AI had entered mainstream conversations.
Huang expressed surprise at being approached by Modi to speak to his cabinet, emphasizing that this occurred well before AI became a prominent topic of discussion globally. Reflecting on this early interest, he highlighted PM Modi's insightful remark during their last meeting, where the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of India manufacturing its own AI solutions instead of relying on outsourcing for data and intelligence. Huang noted, "It makes complete sense that India should manufacture its own AI," reinforcing the notion that the country could harness its resources to develop indigenous AI technologies.
In a follow-up conversation with India Today, Huang elaborated on this idea, urging India to avoid a passive role in the AI landscape. He questioned the logic of exporting labor for software development while other countries reaped the benefits. “Why export the labor while the software is built elsewhere? Why not manufacture the intelligence here and then export it?” he asked, advocating for a shift in focus towards creating and exporting AI innovations from India.
Huang's vision aligns with the potential he sees in India, citing its abundant data, energy, and infrastructure as critical components for transforming raw data into valuable intelligence. He remarked, “You have the data, energy, and the infrastructure. You have the critical ingredients in the country to be able to harvest the raw data, and transform it into intelligence.” He emphasized the need for India to produce AI solutions locally, stating, “Those tokens should be manufactured here (India). That intelligence should be manufactured here.”
During his visit to India, Huang also introduced a new Hindi AI model named Nemotron-4-Mini-Hindi-4B. This model is designed to empower Indian companies to develop their own AI technologies, facilitating greater autonomy in AI innovation. By focusing on manufacturing AI in India, Huang's initiatives aim to position the country as a leader in the AI space, rather than merely a support hub as it was during the earlier IT boom. His insights reflect a broader ambition to harness India's potential and establish it as a pivotal player in the global AI ecosystem.
