We are robustly investing in AI in India and we look forward to doing more: Google CEO Sundar Pichai

Google CEO Sundar Pichai was one of 15 CEOs who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the CEOs Roundtable in New York today. Responding to PM Modi's clarion call of increasing semiconductor manufacturing in India and ethical use of artificial intelligence, the Google CEO said that Google is 'robustly investing in AI in India' and that the company was planning to expand its efforts in the future.

"We are proud to now make our Pixel phones manufactured in India...We are robustly investing in AI in India, and we look forward to doing more. We have set several programs and partnerships...He has always challenged all of us to do more, more for India," Pichai said.

He also said that PM Modi has a clear vision in terms of the opportunities that AI will create in the country and that he has challenged companies to do more. "He is really thinking about how AI can transform India in a way that benefits the people of India. He challenged us to think about applications in healthcare, education, agriculture and he is also thinking about the infrastructure of India - be it data centres, power, energy and investing to make sure that India can transition," Pichai added.

Pichai is not the only CEO who met PM Modi at the CEOs Roundtable in New York today. The roundtable was also attended by Accenture CEO Julie Sweet who said that her company would continue to grow its business in India. "After having such a great decade, really making India such an important part of the global technology landscape. I was also very excited to hear about the commitment of so many other companies like Accenture to continue to grow our business in India and to have our individuals in India serve the globe," she said.

Her thoughts were echoed by HP Inc CEO Enrique Lores who said that HP would continue to expand its manufacturing capabilities in India.

Similarly, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said that he was looking forward to partnering with India in the field of AI and manufacturing. "Artificial Intelligence is also a new industry, a new manufacturing industry that is very important. So, I am looking forward to partnering with India in a very deep way to make that possible...This is India's moment, you have to seize the opportunity," he said.

After the CEO's Roundtable with PM Modi, Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks also shared his company's plans of expanding its footprint in India. "We have already a large research-based centre in India. We plan to grow that. More importantly, the products we make, particularly for common conditions like obesity, diabetes...we will be bringing to this market at scale, partnering with other Indian companies," he said.