Satya Nadella urges inclusive AI development for India

Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella addressed the Ideas4India: Indian American Tech CEOs Forum in Seattle, urging technology leaders to ensure artificial intelligence benefits all sectors of Indian society, including farmers and small businesses. Speaking at the event hosted by the Consulate General of India, Nadella emphasized that the success of general-purpose technologies depends on widespread accessibility and the ability of people to contribute to their development.

Nadella highlighted the importance of national sovereignty and human oversight, stating, “Countries need to have control of their knowledge.” He illustrated the practical potential of AI by citing a demonstration in Delhi where a developer used a GPT model and language services via WhatsApp to help a rural farmer navigate government subsidy schemes in a local language.

The forum brought together more than 40 Indian-origin chief executives and technology officers representing industries such as quantum computing, semiconductors, aerospace, and cloud infrastructure.