Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal believes the artificial intelligence (AI) boom will eventually go through a correction, much like the dotcom bubble, but sees an opportunity for India to attract more investments as the froth settles.
“Superintelligence is here to stay,” Mittal said in an exclusive conversation on NDTV Walk The Talk. He believes the strongest players will emerge once the current excitement around AI settles.
India Is Short On Computing Power, Data Centre Capacity
India remains at a very early stage of building its AI infrastructure and is short on computing power and data centre capacity, according to Mittal.
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The country’s commitments towards AI investments are still very modest, he said, while the US remains the biggest market in terms of investment commitments. Mittal also pointed to SoftBank’s announcement of a large investment in France.
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He believes a slowdown in AI investments in the US could open up opportunities for India.
“Any AI froth settling down in US is good for India,” Mittal said, adding that it could mean more investments flowing into the country.
He believes India can emerge as a strong player in computing.
Airtel Sees Opportunity In Data Centres
For Airtel, the AI opportunity extends beyond computing and data centres to connectivity.
Mittal said the company is not currently among the leading players in the data centre business, but is “very strong on connectivity”. Airtel also provides connectivity to several other data centres.
He expects two to four large Indian companies to emerge as frontrunners in the data centre business, with Airtel among the main players.
Mittal also stressed that India’s data and information about its customers must remain in Indian hands.
Mittal Flags Risks From Rogue AI Agents
While he believes AI is here to stay, Mittal said India needs guardrails for its use.
He specifically flagged rogue AI agents as a serious issue that needs to be addressed.
Mittal Expects 6G In India By 2030
Mittal also expects India to have 6G by 2030, describing the next generation of telecom technology as a sensing network.
He said companies need to have investments available on their balance sheets when 6G arrives.
On India’s telecom infrastructure, Mittal said the country is ahead of the UK and the US in providing high-quality radio signals. Consumers are also benefiting from digital connectivity, with call and data prices remaining relatively low.
He added that users should be willing to pay more as they seek greater digitisation.
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