India, often spoken of in terms of its sheer population, is now finding itself in the global spotlight as a potential AI powerhouse.
As artificial intelligence steadily embeds itself into the core of modern life, Human-AI Appreciation Day offers a pause — a moment to assess where we are and where we’re headed. It’s not about reverence for machines, but about recognising the symbiotic future we are stepping into — one in which humans and AI shape each other.
From banking halls to farmlands, classrooms to chipsets, and social media feeds to safety protocols, AI is no longer a promise of tomorrow. It is here, and it is active. Seven thought leaders across technology, education, cybersecurity, and governance shared with us how AI is transforming not just systems, but society.
Banking on intelligence, not just automation
In the financial world, the use of AI is moving beyond automation towards decision-making and trust-building. Kishan Sundar, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, of Maveric Systems said: “Generative AI has advanced from theory to a practical tool for financial institutions. The focus is shifting from basic automation to smart systems that improve decision-making, strengthen risk management, and build trust and transparency into core operations.”
But it is not a free-for-all. “Banks should find a balance between innovation and governance,” he added, emphasising the importance of responsible deployment that aligns with regulatory and ethical standards.
India’s AI moment & responsibility
India, often spoken of in terms of its sheer population, is now finding itself in the global spotlight as a potential AI powerhouse. Raghav Gupta, CEO of Futurense Technologies, urged a broader lens. “If we truly want to appreciate AI, we must look at the impact it will have on humanity,” he said.
From enabling faster diagnosis in hospitals to supporting farmers with higher yields and climate resilience, Gupta believes AI’s real test is in its scalability and access. “India, with its deep tech talent and growing enterprise ecosystem, is uniquely positioned to be that catalyst.”
Skills, not just numbers
For Nishant Chandra, Co-Founder of Newton School, AI’s impact is already being felt in how we learn and code. “AI won’t just reshape jobs — it’s already redefining how we learn and grow,” he said, pointing out that 90 per cent of coders now use tools like GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT.
But Chandra warns that India’s demographic edge could slip if skills don’t keep pace. “Talent without skill is a missed opportunity,” he said. He advocates a shift towards project-based, application-layer innovation tailored to India’s grassroots realities and languages.
Dark mirror: cyberbullying in AI age
Yet not all AI deployments are benevolent. As digital spaces grow, so too does the scale of harm they can produce. Siddharth Sharma, Chief Information and Innovation Officer at Digi Yatra Foundation, painted a stark picture of online harassment. “Cyberbullying is no longer just ‘mean comments’. It’s harassment, hate, and emotional harm, 24/7.”
For Sharma, AI-powered “sentinels” — algorithmic moderators that detect hate speech, slurs, and harmful content — are essential in tackling toxicity at scale. “When bad actors go bot-mode, our autoboots and Ironman better show up,” he said. Despite advances globally, Sharma noted India lacks a truly homegrown, linguistically diverse AI moderation system.
Darshil Shah, Founder and Director of TreadBinary, agreed. “The future of online safety lies in systems that are not only intelligent, but also empathetic,” he said. AI, when trained to understand tone, emotion and context, can intervene early — flagging harm before it escalates.
Tech that cares
Rajesh Chhabra, General Manager – India & South Asia at Acronis, added that cyberbullying has grown quieter, but more insidious. “It’s subtle, persistent and deeply personal — hiding in everyday chats and shifting tones,” he said. Rather than post-facto clean-ups, Chhabra called for proactive systems guided by empathy. “The goal isn’t control, but care,” he noted.
His vision is one where digital spaces reflect the nuance of real-life interaction — where language is understood not only for what it says, but what it means.
Smarter chips, faster futures
On the hardware front, artificial intelligence is also reshaping consumer experiences — right down to the chips inside our phones. “AI has evolved from a futuristic concept to a transformative force,” said Anku Jain, Managing Director at MediaTek India.
MediaTek is embedding AI capabilities in its flagship chipsets — such as the Dimensity 9400 series and Dimensity 8450 SoC — enabling features like real-time translation, computational photography and voice assistants. “We’re making devices smarter, faster, and more responsive,” Jain added. The move signals a wider industry trend of AI shifting from software to silicon.
Shared future — if we build it right
Taken together, these insights point to an inflection point. AI is no longer limited to labs and whitepapers. It is already influencing how we interact, govern, diagnose, build, and protect. Yet the question isn’t just what AI can do — it’s what we allow it to do, and for whom.
Human-AI Appreciation Day is a reminder: the best technology is neither invisible nor dominant — it is collaborative. In India’s hands lies both an opportunity and a responsibility — to ensure that AI’s future is equitable, grounded in empathy, and shaped by real-world impact.
As one expert said: it’s not about machines becoming human. It’s about making our digital world more humane.
Originally published in BW Security World
