Three keynote addresses at the AI Summit brought together leaders from fintech, research, and global technology to outline how artificial intelligence is moving beyond experimentation into real-world transformation, across finance, enterprise, and human capability.

Opening the segment, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Founder and CEO of Paytm, described the Summit as a proud moment for India. “Every Indian should feel proud that the world’s AI leaders are gathered here in our country,” he said, adding that just as Startup India ignited an entrepreneurial wave, the country is now witnessing the rise of “AI India.” Emphasizing the shift from novelty to impact, he noted, “AI is no longer just about chat or photo edits, it is moving into business, finance, agriculture, and industry, solving real-world problems at scale.” In financial services, he said, AI-driven insights can deepen credit access and bring meaningful inclusion to the last mile. “This is not about job loss, it is about AI-led abundance and India will lead this revolution from the front.”

From the perspective of enterprise innovation and frontier research, Ananya Birla of Birla AI Labs outlined a dual mandate, building applied AI solutions within industry while advancing foundational research. “We are building structured foundational models and advancing research that asks whether AI truly understands the structure of the world, not merely patterns,” she said. At the same time, she emphasized industry’s responsibility to examine AI’s impact on human cognition and agency. Highlighting AI’s transformative potential in microfinance, she noted, “If there is one place in our portfolio where AI feels most consequential, most human, it is in our microfinance business.” Embedding AI across operations, she added, could unlock significant productivity gains, enabling greater financial access for underserved communities.

Bringing a global technology perspective, Takahito Tokita, President and CEO of Fujitsu, framed AI within a broader societal mission. “Our purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation,” he said. Stressing a human-centric approach, he added, “AI must not replace people or threaten human autonomy; its fundamental role must be to augment uniquely human capabilities, our creativity, critical thinking, and complex judgment.”

Together, the three keynotes reinforced a shared theme: AI’s next phase will be defined not only by technological sophistication, but by its ability to expand opportunity, deepen inclusion, and strengthen human potential, positioning India and global industry leaders at the forefront of an AI-driven future.

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Mahesh Kumar/ Pawan Faujdar/ Allen Roy Joseph/ Ritu Raj

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