Washington, February 14 (IANS). As Artificial Intelligence (AI) is undergoing a significant transformation globally, India will need to look at data as the “next oil” if it is to lead the next industrial revolution. This statement was given by Sunil Pal, AMD’s AI GPU Allocation Head, ahead of the India AI Impact Summit to be held in New Delhi.
Speaking to news agency IANS, Pal said, “2026 is going to be the year of AI.” Also said that the technology web started with ChatGPT is like the fourth industrial revolution.
He said countries are racing to gain share in a market that he estimates will reach $1.7 trillion by 2031.
“Everyone is trying to see how they can leverage AI,” he said, adding that “data is the key.”
According to Pal, this AI summit in India is taking place at a time when governments and companies around the world are evaluating ways to implement AI infrastructure and applications on a wider scale.
He mentioned three areas in which India’s uniqueness is evident: “the breadth of AI talent and engineering”, “the global digital base”, and “the shift from services to a strategic innovation hub”.
He said India offers “the largest reservoir of AI and digital engineering talent,” allowing enterprises to “expand AI rapidly and cost-effectively.”
He highlighted the country’s role in managing global enterprise platforms, cybersecurity operations, analytics and AI development. He said Indian technology companies are “capable of understanding the changing trends and making changes accordingly.”
He said India was also developing “in AI research, product engineering, semiconductor design and global capability centers”, but Pal warned that infrastructure would determine whether India would be able to translate this capability into leadership.
“Power is the biggest hurdle in building a data center and high-quality power is the key,” he said.
He said governments should take a long-term view and invest in reliable, affordable energy, including hydropower, nuclear, wind and solar energy. This is not a short-term solution, he said. Countries “have to look at it holistically, adopt a long-term strategy and adopt a far-reaching strategy.”
Building a data center requires extensive planning, land acquisition and regulatory approvals. Pal pointed out that even in the US, projects require several rounds of public consultation and approvals. Similar processes will take time in India also.
Nevertheless, he emphasized that computing infrastructure is not limited to any one geographical area. He said it is “beyond location” and can be installed in one part of the country and used elsewhere, or even globally, via the Internet.
On global competition, Pal said the US is currently in a stronger position in the field of AI, but “China is not far behind.” He recalled his visit to Beijing in 2018 and was amazed to see the level of automation and AI deployment even at that time.
He said China’s approach reflected a “highly concentrated effort.” But he stressed that AI is still in its early stages everywhere. “AI is just at its beginning,” he said, noting that countries from Singapore to Dubai and across Europe are making rapid progress.
The challenge for India is to remain alert and proactive. “You have to be cautious and assess how AI can be integrated into one of the largest economies in the world,” he said.
Pal also refuted the notion that AI is merely a means to reduce costs. “It is becoming a revenue enabler through hyper-personalization, predictive insights and digital business models,” he said.
He explained that in healthcare, AI can limit options and speed up research cycles. Experiments that previously required large teams and long periods of time can now be streamlined. “Machines are learning very fast,” he said.
At the same time, he warned that the quality of the data matters. “If you give out misinformation, misinformation spreads.”
Looking five years ahead, Pal said he has no “prediction ability,” but believes the technology is still in its “early stages.” He compared the current state of AI to the early days of the steam engine, the Internet, and smartphones.
He said that all these innovations reshaped industries and created trillion-dollar companies. In his view, AI is also such a turning point.
“If you don’t adopt it, you’ll be left behind, and you don’t want to be left behind,” he said.
“Data is the next oil,” Pal said. He suggested that with the right ecosystem, talent and infrastructure, India could turn this resource into a long-term economic powerhouse.
The India AI Impact Summit is being organized after similar conferences held in London and France. This comes at a time when governments around the world are increasing investment in AI chips, data centers and research. India has launched incentive schemes for semiconductor manufacturing and digital infrastructure, aiming to strengthen its position as a key player in the global AI value chain.
–IANS
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