India can lead human revolution through responsible AI, says Vishal Sikka

India can lead a new human revolution powered by purposeful and responsible AI (artificial intelligence) that empowers "a billion entrepreneurs" not just to earn a living, but to create meaningful lives, Vianai founder and CEO Vishal Sikka said on Thursday.

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Sikka, former CEO of IT giant Infosys, highlighted astonishing productivity gains from AI, its limitations and responsible usage.

He said that AI represents a historic opportunity, and India has previously transformed connectivity and food security within a generation.

"To build the next generation of it (AI)... We can be on our way to a human revolution. Powered by AI, good AI, purposeful AI-- where every one of us-- a billion entrepreneurs-- is not just making a living, but is making a life -- not some artificial life or some artificial general life, but our own life and the life of others, and that would be so much fun to do," Sikka said.

The Indian-American entrepreneur said that AI can deliver astonishing productivity gains for those who truly understand how to use it. He cites examples of a Stanford colleague who rebuilt a large service in 14 days using generative AI -- work that originally took 15 engineers nine months and a business leader who made a major strategic decision in days instead of a year.

He said that AI is an "incredible power", offering instant access to knowledge in any language and condensing information in any format.

According to him, AI's effectiveness is not uniform; unlocking real value requires users to understand both its capabilities and its limitations.

Sikka, who holds a PhD in AI, said that a significant gap exists between large language models (LLMs) and practical enterprise use. Bridging that gap requires building reliable, trustworthy, and verifiable systems that deliver real business value.

"Being effective with AI requires not only knowledge of AI itself but also understanding its limitations and how to overcome those limitations.

"There is a huge gap between LLMs and the business users inside enterprises, and overcoming that gap is where a lot of value-creating opportunity is. Bridging that gap requires delivering correct, trusted, verifiable, and reliable systems that deliver value to people," Sikka said.

"When we overcome that gap, we can deliver massive value... We can transform every existing system. Legacy systems and enormous complexities inside enterprises can be removed. Industries can be transformed," he added.

With imagination and responsible implementation, AI can transform industries, simplify complex legacy systems, and empower individuals, Sikka said, adding that India, with its entrepreneurial potential, is well-positioned to lead this transformation.

He also highlighted the need to go beyond mastering today's AI and work to improve it. Current systems face serious limitations, such as a lack of real-world understanding, safety risks, and high energy consumption.

"Is that we not only have to master today's AI. But we have to leapfrog it. AI today has enormous limitations," said Sikka, who was the first non-founder head of Infosys.

He said that AI must become safer, more efficient, and more grounded in real-world wisdom. Just as nuclear energy was made safer over time, AI must also be developed responsibly.