Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal indicated on Saturday that artificial intelligence (AI) may not receive industry status anytime soon. Speaking at the Mumbai Tech Week, Goyal emphasized that in today’s tech world, the label given to AI is less important than the ability to engage and compete globally.
### AI Sector Needs Success, Not Industry Tag
Goyal expressed confidence in India’s AI ecosystem, stating, “The only tag that the AI sector needs is success.” He added, “On the contrary, if you give an industry tag, you will call the inspectors to your house. What is the use?” Goyal’s remarks highlight the importance of focusing on results rather than formal classifications.
### Lessons from the IT Services Industry
Advocating for the AI sector to be solution-oriented, Goyal drew parallels with the IT services industry, which successfully addressed the Y2K conundrum at the turn of the millennium. Indian IT companies like Infosys and Wipro played a crucial role in rewriting the back-end calendar code to prevent miscalculations that could have disrupted computer systems and networks.
“After that, the software or the IT industry never looked back. But one of the defining features was they kept the government at bay. IT industry never comes to the government. We have to call them. They never ask for anything,” Goyal said.
### India’s Role in the Global AI Journey
Goyal emphasized that the world’s AI journey would be incomplete without India, and many economies acknowledge this fact. AI has been prominently featured in the government’s free trade agreements and trade negotiations. Other aspects of AI that the government has been focusing on include digital engagement, data privacy, free flow of data, data localization, and regulations around data usage.
### Human Mind vs. Artificial Intelligence
Goyal reiterated that the human mind will always prevail over artificial intelligence. While some redundant and repetitive tasks may move to AI-led solutions, the human mind will be needed to validate the outcomes of AI-led processes. “But at the same time, we recognize it will involve re-skilling, re-training, re-checking our business processes. All of which will lead to more efficiency. All of which will lead to a better way of working,” he said.
### Conclusion
Piyush Goyal’s remarks underscore the importance of focusing on the success and practical applications of AI rather than formal industry classifications. By drawing lessons from the IT services industry and emphasizing the need for human validation, Goyal highlighted the potential for AI to drive efficiency and innovation in India’s tech ecosystem.
