Adani Inaugurates AI Centre, Calls on Young India to Become Builders of Intelligence

Gautam Adani lauds India’s move to build sovereign artificial intelligence capabilities at the Vidya Pratishthan AI Centre of Excellence in Baramati. He frames AI as a foundational layer for faster decision-making, inclusive growth, and national development, urging youth to lead and innovate with national priorities in mind.

India is entering a decisive phase in its technological journey, whereartificial intelligence will shape economic growth, national capability andthe future of work. This was the central message delivered by Adani GroupChairman Gautam Adani at the inauguration of the Vidya Pratishthan SharadPawar Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI CoE) in Baramati,Maharashtra.

Addressing students, researchers and educators, Adani urged young Indiansto see themselves not merely as users of new technology, but as buildersand leaders of intelligence systems aligned with national priorities. Hedescribed artificial intelligence as the next major leap in human progress,comparable to the industrial and digital revolutions, but with thepotential to be far more inclusive in its impact.

Drawing on lessons from history, Adani said that every major technologicaltransition initially brings anxiety, but ultimately expands opportunity.From mechanisation and electrification to computers and the internet,innovation has consistently created more possibilities than it hasdisplaced. Artificial intelligence, he noted, will take this further byembedding intelligence and productivity directly into the hands of ordinarycitizens.

India’s own digital experience offers strong evidence of this trajectory.Initiatives such as Aadhaar, Jan Dhan, UPI and widespread mobileconnectivity have transformed access to identity, finance and markets.According to Adani, AI will become the next foundational layer — enablingfaster decision-making, higher productivity and new forms ofentrepreneurship across sectors.

He highlighted how farmers, small entrepreneurs, students and homemakerscould use AI-powered tools to analyse data, manage risk, scale businessesand access global opportunities, regardless of geography. In this emerginglandscape, talent and adaptability, rather than background, will definesuccess.

A key focus of Adani’s address was the need for India to build its ownartificial intelligence capabilities. He cautioned that as AI increasinglyinfluences economic power and strategic decision-making, dependence onforeign algorithms and platforms carries long-term risks.

Data, compute infrastructure and core AI models, he said, must remainaligned with national interest. Countries that invest in their ownintelligence ecosystems will be better positioned to safeguard economicfreedom, cultural confidence and strategic autonomy in a rapidly changingworld.

Artificial intelligence, Adani emphasised, should be approached not just asa convenience or commercial product, but as a strategic national capability— built in India, governed in India and designed to serve India’sdevelopment goals.

Baramati AI Centre as a Bridge Between Academia and Industry

The Sharad Pawar Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence has beenestablished under Vidya Pratishthan with a ₹25 crore contribution made in2023. The centre aims to promote advanced research, skill development andindustry-oriented training in emerging technologies.

Designed as a collaborative platform, the centre will focus on applying AIacross critical areas such as agriculture, healthcare, governance andindustry. It seeks to strengthen links between academia, private enterpriseand national priorities, enabling students and researchers to work onreal-world problems at scale.

Adani described the centre as a space for creation rather than observation,encouraging young minds to experiment, innovate and contribute solutionsthat can drive inclusive growth.

Infrastructure, Energy and the AI Ecosystem

Highlighting the broader ecosystem required to support artificialintelligence, Adani pointed to the growing importance of data centres,digital infrastructure and clean energy. These, he said, are becoming asessential as highways, ports and power plants in the modern economy.

Reliable, affordable and sustainable energy will play a critical role inpowering large-scale computing and AI deployment. Integratedinfrastructure, he added, will determine how effectively intelligencesystems can be deployed across industries and regions.

A Call to Young India

Concluding his address, Adani called on students to embrace *samarthya* —the capability to think independently, create boldly and shape the nation’sfuture. The age of artificial intelligence, he said, belongs to those whoare willing to learn continuously and apply intelligence with purpose."This moment belongs to you," he told young Indians, urging them not justto witness history, but to help write it.