AI became democratic, its future to be written in big cities and small places: Nasscom director

Nasscom director Nirupam Chaudhuri on Monday said artificial intelligence AI has become a democratic force, and its future will be written in both big cities, as well as small towns.Addressing a pre-summit event in the run-up to the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026, Chaudhuri said Manipur should be considered a living lab of inclusive AI where innovation serves both local development and global needs.Today, AI is no longer a futuristic concept.

Nasscom director Nirupam Chaudhuri on Monday said artificial intelligence (AI) has become a democratic force, and its future will be written in both big cities, as well as small towns.

Addressing a pre-summit event in the run-up to the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026, Chaudhuri said Manipur should be considered a "living lab" of inclusive AI where innovation serves both local development and global needs.

''Today, AI is no longer a futuristic concept. It has become a democratic force. In Manipur, it is in a unique moment right now where grassroots AI can directly translate into global employability, inclusive growth and societal impact,'' he said.

''The future of AI in India will not only be written in big cities and metros; it will be shaped in places like Imphal, Churachandpur, Ukhrul and Thoubal. That's what I believe in,'' the Nasscom director said.

While Imphal is the capital of Manipur, the other three places are district headquarters towns.

Chaudhuri continued, ''In NASSCOM, we strongly believe that AI capability building must start at the grassroots. This means enabling students, start-ups, faculties, MSMEs, and community groups to learn AI by solving local problems.'' He also said that as Manipur steps into the AI era, data privacy, cybersecurity and inclusivity should be ensured and must be foundational principles.

Chaudhuri said, ''Manipur should not just consume AI but should create, adapt and lead with AI. We should all position Manipur as a living lab of inclusive AI where innovation serves both local development and global needs.'' ''Grassroots AI is not about teaching technology alone but is also about unlocking confidence, capability and global relevance right here at home,'' he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)