AI Futures: The Road to the India AI Impact Summit 2026

Beyond Jugaad: What India Needs for its Own DeepSeek Moment | Prof. Ganesh Ramakrishnan, IIT Bombay

In the consumer internet era, startups could scale quickly without heavy R&D. But how is the age of AI fundamentally different? And can India truly build its own Sovereign AI stack?In this episode of AI Futures, host Anirudh Suri speaks with Prof. Ganesh Ramakrishnan, Professor at IIT Bombay and Principal Investigator of BharatGen to unpack why research and academia are now the backbone of innovation in AI, and how India can build its own AI stack.We address:- What lessons can we learn from China’s AI rise and the “DeepSeek moment”?- How is India building sovereign AI models through initiatives like BharatGen?- Can resource constraints actually drive better AI systems—and if so, how?- What are India’s core strengths in AI today—adoption, scale, and ecosystem?- Why is a “whole-of-nation” approach critical for AI development?- How could AI innovation in the Global South evolve differently from the rest of the world?From China’s decade-long investments to India’s unique, resource-constrained approach, this conversation explores what it really takes to build meaningful AI startups today.🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.----The AI Futures Podcast series, hosted by Anirudh Suri, is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India as the intellectual prelude to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held from Feb 16 - 20, 2026 in New Delhi, India.Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/About BharatGen: https://bharatgen.com/About the Guest: Ganesh Ramakrishnan is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and a leading voice in India’s AI research ecosystem. He serves as the Principal Investigator of BharatGen, a government-backed initiative bringing together top Indian institutions to build large-scale, multilingual generative AI models for India. He has been recognized by Forbes India and Accel among the top Indian minds in AI globally. About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast:Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #AnirudhSuri #AIStack #SovereignAI #AI #IndiaAI #BharatGen #DigitalIndia #IITBombay #IndianStartups #MakeInIndia #AIIndia #TechIndia #researchanddevelopment #AIStartups #StartupEcosystem #Innovation #TechEntrepreneur #DeepTechStartups #GlobalSouth #AIInnovation #TechPolicy #AILeadership #Geopolitics #TheGreatTechGame #TGTGPodcast #Podcast

Can Africa Leapfrog into the AI Age? Didier Nkurikiyimfura of Smart Africa with Anirudh Suri

In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, host Anirudh sat down with Didier Nkurikiyimfura from Smart Africa, who shares insights from across the continent, spanning governments, startups, and regional institutions working at the frontlines of digital transformation.This episode unpacks:- How African countries are thinking about AI today, in terms of both opportunities and risks?- How does Africa see AI as an accelerator for development, from healthcare to education to financial systems?- What are the structural challenges the continent faces?- How are initiatives like Smart Africa are working to build a single digital market across 50+ countries?- Why regulation, data governance, and policy harmonization are central to scaling AI across the continent- What could meaningful India–Africa collaboration on AI could look like—from compute to skilling to institutions?- How can Africa’s young population become an important force shaping the future of AI?They discuss the broader idea of the “Great Tech Game”—and whether AI presents a rare opportunity for regions that missed earlier industrial waves to redefine their trajectory. This is a conversation about markets, power, demographics, and development—and why no serious discussion about the future of AI can ignore Africa.🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.----Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/About the Guest: Didier Nkurikiyimfura is the Director of Technology and Innovation at the Smart Africa Secretariat. As the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO), he supports Smart Africa on the overall policy and regulatory matters, organizational strategy, programme and project management, operations, partnership and resource mobilization. He also leads the implementation of several cross-border tech projects in Africa, such as the intra-African cross-border fiber connectivity, increasing Africa’s Internet affordability and accessibility, regional Data Centers, Smart Cities, African entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems strengthening, interoperable pan-african Digital ID and the Smart Africa scholarship fund among others, with the ultimate goal of contributing to Africa’s economic growth and job creation.About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast:Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #AI #Africa #AIAfrica #AfricaRising #DigitalAfrica #SmartAfrica #AfricanInnovation #AfricaTech #StartupAfrica

Can India Achieve Technological Independence by 2047? Prof. Kamakoti, IIT Madras Director

In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, host Anirudh Suri speaks with Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras and chief architect of India’s first indigenous microprocessor, Shakti. A recipient of the Padma Shri, he has been at the forefront of India’s AI and technology research.This episode explores India’s journey from political independence to its goal of technological sovereignty by 2047, and what it will actually take to get there.We unpack the following questions:- Why does AI demand a renewed focus on R&D and academia?- What makes AI fundamentally different from previous technology waves?- Can India build true AI sovereignty, and why does it matter?- Can frugal innovation become India’s competitive advantage in AI?- Do we really need large, general AI models or should we focus on domain-specific AI?- How can India avoid an AI divide, both globally and within the country?- How do we regulate, normalize, and manage AI's impact?- What role should public trust, adoption, and "Swadeshi" strategy play in India’s AI future?From deep research to startup ecosystems, this is a wide-ranging conversation on how India should move towards its goal of attaining technological sovereignty by 2047.🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.---Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/About the Guest: Prof. V. Kamakoti is the Director of IIT Madras. He is widely recognized as the chief architect of Shakti, India’s first indigenous microprocessor initiative. He has served on the national AI task force and as a member of the National Security Advisory Board. In 2026, he was awarded the Padma Shri.About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast:Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #TGTGPodcast #AnirudhSuri #AI #TheGreatTechGame #kamakotitv #r&d #researchanddevelopment #aiinnovation #iit #iitmadras #AIResearch #DeepTech #MachineLearning #IndiaAI #TechSovereignty #DigitalIndia #AtmanirbharBharat #IndianTech #MakeInIndia #Swadeshi #startup

How Is India's Next Generation Using AI? | With 16-Year-Old AI Founder Raul Aju and Host Anirudh Suri

In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, recorded at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, host Anirudh Suri sat down with one of the youngest speakers at the Summit — 16-year-old AI builder, entrepreneur, and content creator, Raul Aju, often called "AI Kid of India”From starting a YouTube channel to building AI tools, teaching workshops, and training aspiring young founders, Raul represents a generation growing up with AI. In this conversation, we explore:- How did he start his content creation journey at age 4?- How are Indian children and teens perceiving and using AI today?- Are students becoming more interested in entrepreneurship because of AI?- How is AI helping the way Raul learns versus his peers?- Are children aware of what happens to their data when they use AI tools?- Is AI contributing to mental health issues, loneliness, and social disconnection among youth?We often talk about the “future of AI” in abstract terms of policy, regulation, global competition. But conversations like this bring it back to something more immediate: how is our youth using AI to learn faster or think differently? Watch this conversation to hear an inspiring story of a young entrepreneur, and how the next generation is thinking about, using, and building AI.🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.-----The AI Futures Podcast series, hosted by Anirudh Suri, is organized in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* as the intellectual prelude to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held from Feb 16 - 20, 2026 in New Delhi, India.Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/-----*About Raul Aju*Raul John Aju is a 16-year-old AI builder, entrepreneur, and educator from Kochi, India, and the founder of AI Realm Technologies Pvt. Ltd., where he develops AI tools with real-world impact. Starting out with robotics at the age of 10, Raul now builds practical AI solutions—from legal assistants and automation tools to humanoid robots like Mebot, his AI-powered clone. One of his most ambitious initiatives is Project 47x, a legal AI platform developed in collaboration with the governments of Kerala and Dubai, aimed at streamlining governance and legal processes. Alongside this, Raul has trained over 140,000 students and professionals across India and internationally. Through his content on Instagram and YouTube, Raul shares his journey of building, experimenting, and simplifying AI for a wider audience. 🌍 AI Realm Technologies: https://airealm.pro/🎥Raul's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Techonaroll📱 Raul's Instagram: raul_the_rockstar (https://www.instagram.com/raul_the_rockstar/?hl=en)*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #AI #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #aientrepreneurship #aiforyouth #youth #GenZ #NextGeneration #innovation #StartupIndia #IndiaInnovation #MadeInIndia #LearnAI #AIForEveryone #FutureSkills #EducationReimagined #AIEducation #AIKid #YoungEntrepreneur #TeenFounder #GenZFounders #YouthInTech #StudentEntrepreneur #raulaju #anirudhsuri

Can Indian Academia Produce Cutting-Edge AI Research? Prof. Mausam, IIT - Delhi with Anirudh Suri

Does India have all the elements of a globally competitive AI research ecosystem? And, is AI making students smarter—or just lazier? In this episode of the AI Futures podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with Professor Mausam, one of the "100 most influential people in AI" and a founding head of the Yardi School of AI at IIT Delhi. Together, they go beyond the hype to explore the true state of the AI revolution.In this video, you’ll discover:- The Shift to SLMs & LRMs: Why 2026 will be the year of Small Language Models and how "Large Reasoning Models" are changing the game.- India’s AI Challenge: Why India produces 16% of the world's AI talent but only ~2% of its research—and how we can close the gap.- The "Death of the Grind": Professor Mausam shares his deep concern about students using LLMs to skip the "grunt work" essential for building deep expertise.- Global Power Dynamics: Why the US and China still lead, and what we can learn from Israel’s highly successful research ecosystem.- Future-Proofing Your Career: Why "analytical thinking" and "first-principle thinking" are the only skills that will never be automated.Whether you are a student, a researcher, or just curious about the future of technology, this deep dive provides a masterclass on navigating the age of artificial intelligence.---Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Prof. Mausam*Mausam is a Professor of Computer Science at IIT Delhi, and served as the founding head of Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence until September 2023. He is also an affiliate professor at University of Washington, Seattle. Recently, his research is exploring neuro-symbolic machine learning, computer vision for radiology, NLP for robotics, multilingual NLP, and several threads in intelligent information systems that include information extraction, knowledge base completion, question answering, and dialogue systems. He has over 100 archival papers to his credit, along with a book, two best paper awards, and one test of time award. Mausam was awarded the AAAI Fellow status in 2024 for his sustained contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and unusual distinction in the profession. He was also elected as a fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) -- an apex body for India's most distinguished engineers, engineer-scientists and technologists. He was named as one of the 30 Indian Minds Leading the AI Revolution by Forbes India. *About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #TGTGPodcast #AnirudhSuri #AI #TheGreatTechGame #VilasDhar #patrickjmcgovernfoundation #aiforgood #philanthropy #responsibleai #climatetrace #globalsouth #globalsouthai