Artificial Intelligence (AI) could contribute more than $500 billion to India’s economy by 2030, according to a new study released by the IBM Institute for Business Value and IndiaAI. The report said AI is rapidly emerging as a key driver of India’s economic transformation and could position the country among the world’s leading AI-powered economies. The study, titled ‘From Promise to Power: How AI is Redefining India’s Economic Future’, found that 80 per cent of Indian business leaders believe AI investments will directly influence the country’s GDP growth, while 73 per cent expect India to emerge as a global AI leader by 2030. However, 72 per cent of surveyed organizations admitted they are still behind global peers in AI adoption.
Speaking at the launch, Shri S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said India is helping shape the global AI conversation through a human-centric and ethical approach aligned with the vision of “Viksit Bharat.” IBM India and South Asia Managing Director Sandip Patel said trusted AI systems, skilled workforce, and strong data infrastructure will be critical for long-term economic impact. The report highlighted concerns over infrastructure and skills gaps, with 77 per cent respondents citing lack of affordable and secure cloud infrastructure as a major challenge. It also noted that India may require over 350 million AI-skilled professionals by 2030.
In Kolkata, the city’s growing IT services, fintech, education, and startup ecosystem could benefit significantly from India’s AI expansion. Companies in Kolkata are increasingly exploring AI-driven automation, analytics, and cloud adoption, while educational institutions are also focusing on AI skill development to prepare the future workforce for emerging technology demands.