India's AI Future Hinges on Data Frameworks and Investor Backing, Says AI4India Co-Founder

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of a pre-summit conclave ahead of the AI India Impact Summit 2026, Agrawal said India must focus on enriching and structuring local data to build AI models relevant to its diverse population. The five-day India-AI Impact Summit 2026 will be held from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, covering policy, research, industry, and public engagement.

"One very strong thing coming out is that there is a lot of data which is available... but we don't have the right framework to use it or make it available to model developers," Agrawal said.

"This is one area where some of the other countries have taken a lead. India has access to it, and that's a huge upcoming opportunity," he said.

The full-day conclave, themed "Building Inclusive AI for India and the World," featured a report launch on AI-driven employability, keynote addresses, startup demonstrations, and an expo showcasing more than 25 AI startups, including Bharat Gen, along with presentations from Google and others.

Agrawal said panel discussions highlighted the need for ethical, inclusive AI development that benefits all citizens rather than a few. "AI needs to develop. It needs to be ethically done... and they should be inclusive, they should be for the benefit of all," he said.

He added that AI could help bridge India's linguistic, cultural and institutional barriers. "The big thing that AI can solve for is reducing barriers... Can AI help overcome those barriers and reduce friction between institutions, government, and common people?" he said.

On India's position in the global AI race dominated by the United States and China, Agrawal said New Delhi is pursuing its own path focused on sovereign models and inclusive applications.

"Our task, our approach is to get inclusive AI, sovereign models which are relevant for India... to empower our people and not displace them," he said, contrasting this with Western approaches that emphasise automation and job displacement.

Agrawal acknowledged rising concerns over data privacy, fraud and deepfakes, citing image morphing and financial scams as growing risks. He also flagged unresolved copyright issues around AI-generated content. "If I today create something using AI, I don't have copyright or protection on it... there is no protection yet," he said.

He said policymakers must move faster to address emerging risks. "Vigilance... has to move much faster than they used to in the past," he said, as AI technologies evolve rapidly.

Agrawal praised government initiatives such as India's AI mission, data protection frameworks, and funding mechanisms, but urged private investors to step up.

"The government has already done a significant amount... This is the time for investors, more importantly, to start betting on Indian AI development," he said.

He also called on innovators to accelerate the deployment of AI applications, adding that India's goal should be to create jobs and economic opportunities rather than replacing human labour.

- ANI