New Delhi: During the NXT Conclave 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, Uber’s Vice President of AI & Marketplace Dinkar Jain reiterated India’s role in determining the future of the world in AI. He spoke about how India is a major contributor of internet user data, which makes it an important stakeholder in AI-based industries.
Jain pointed out, “75% of internet users outside China are from the developing world. And these are the people. Whenever they like something, they click something. They do anything, anything with their phones. They are generating digital data, right? That digital data is what powers all of these companies. On this list, you will find some of the storied names in the world of AI.”
The AI Surge and Developing World Data
Jain indicated that although AI businesses depend on data generated by users, most of it does not come from the developing world. He emphasized that this represents a huge opportunity for India, which needs to tap its “data dividend” to power its AI ambitions.
He stated, “So this is India’s data dividend. We’ve talked about the demographic dividend for many decades, but this is India’s data dividend. And the developing world’s data dividend, which remains completely untapped by our own economies.”
Understanding AI in Simple Terms
Jain also demystified AI, explaining its basic concept without technical jargon. He compared machine learning (ML) to a programming function created with data rather than written instructions.
“That’s it. There is no other mystery to this,” he said. “Now, what does that mean? A traditional program, the way we would write it, you would write a set of instructions. If this, then that for I equals 1 to 20, do this or whatever it is. So that would be what a traditional program would be, a machine learning program.”
AI’s Role in Developing India’s Future
Uber VP Dinkar Jain at the NXT Conclave 2025 claimed that it is not possible for India to achieve its vision of a developed country, or ‘Dixit Bharat’ by 2047, without a prominent role in AI. He emphasized that AI is crucial for enhancing standards of living, healthcare, education, security, and law enforcement.
“We can do this overnight if we did it, with AI and the goal of Dixit Bharat or a developed country cannot be attained,” Jain said. “It’s an inconceivable to think about that goal without India being a very prominent player in the field of AI.”
Why AI Sovereignty Should Be India’s Focus
Jain emphasized that although most nations are concentrating on data sovereignty—keeping data at home—such an approach holds back AI from realizing its maximum potential. Rather, he asserted, AI sovereignty should be the actual objective.
“So what the world is trending towards is like, let’s say we have 195 countries in the world. They’re all trying to create their own little AI system. So each country wants to keep their data inside their little silo and create their own AI system. Now, this is data sovereignty,” he stated.
But he cautioned that this scattered strategy would give rise to poor-quality AI systems and reliance on stronger AI-run countries.
Risks of Dependence on AI by Global Corporations
Jain raised concerns regarding global corporations dominating AI, dictating terms over data, and pricing with no democratic input. He articulated that if the world lets just a few organizations take control of AI, it will breed disparity and restrict access to the positives of AI for smaller countries.
“Right. Now the alternative here is that you take the data from 195 countries. You have a smaller set of global companies that that serve global AI systems. Now, obviously this is problematic for us too, because we don’t want all the power from all the countries and all the data from all the countries to be concentrated in the hands of a few companies that often escape democratic supervision, that often escape,” Jain cautioned.
India’s Road to AI Leadership
Jain concluded by sketching his vision of India’s AI future, stressing the importance of a robust domestic AI industry. He laid out a highly challenging target for India and the Global South—to build at least 500 AI unicorns by 2030.
“These should be the goals that India should lead the world on and indeed the global South on. There should be about 500 AI unicorns that are coming out of the Global South by 2030,” he added.