Ashwini Vaishnaw Named By TIME In 100 Most Influential People In AI

New Delhi: India's Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw , has earned a prestigious spot on TIME magazine's list of the “Most Influential People in AI 2024”.

India, the world’s fifth-largest economy, is aiming to become a significant player in the global AI landscape. "The country’s electronics and information technology minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw , leads its efforts," the magazine said.

Although India has not yet established binding AI regulations, it has chaired the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence for the past year, an international initiative supporting countries in AI governance, according to TIME.

As part of this role, India hosted the Global IndiaAI Summit in July, attended by over 2,000 AI experts, including senior leaders from OpenAI and Microsoft, and delegates from over 50 countries. During the summit, Vaishnaw stressed the importance of “democratizing technology” to ensure its accessibility to all.

The Indian government has allocated more than $1.2 billion to boost its developing AI sector. Most efforts have been directed through the "IndiaAI" initiative, overseen by Vaishnaw’s ministry. The ministry’s goals include acquiring over 10,000 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to enhance computing capacity, funding local startups, increasing access to high-quality datasets, expanding AI education opportunities for Indians, and developing state-of-the-art AI models.

"Under Vaishnaw’s leadership, the country hopes to become one of the top five countries for semiconductor manufacturing—a key component for modern AI systems—within the next five years. Construction has begun on several factories," TIME noted.

However, Vaishnaw faces "significant challenges" in achieving these objectives. "India's tech sector struggles with low private R&D investment and a lack of advanced manufacturing ecosystems. Its educational system is also catching up to produce the specialized workforce needed for cutting-edge AI and semiconductor development," the magazine added.

High import tariffs on electronic components, global competition for talent and resources, and the challenge of upgrading infrastructure, including power and water systems essential for semiconductor manufacturing, are additional hurdles India must navigate to emerge as an AI leader, TIME explained.

"As in every country, India is striving to strike a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring AI benefits its people and constraining the technology’s risks. Whether it will succeed remains to be seen," said the magazine.