By Abhay Ray 
Introduction
India is not a poor country anymore, and we must take bold steps in developing our foundational AI models.” Dr. Manish Gupta, Senior Director at Google DeepMind, who leads AI research teams across India and Japan, shared his perspective at ABP Network’s Ideas of India 2025 on the crucial role of AI in transforming India and its power in solving global challenges.
Dr. Manish Gupta Background and Expertise
Before joining DeepMind, Dr.Manish Gupta led research teams at IBM and Xerox in India. Notably, he contributed to the development of system software for the Blue Gene/L supercomputer at IBM’s T.J. Watson Research Center, a project that earned the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2009. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has co-authored approximately 75 papers, accumulating over 8,000 citations. Additionally, he holds 19 U.S. patents and is a Fellow of the ACM and the Indian National Academy of Engineering.
AI for Scientific Discovery
At DeepMind, Dr. Gupta is leading efforts to develop AI systems that can accelerate scientific research. One of the key projects under his leadership is the development of AI lab assistants in collaboration with BioNTech. These AI assistants are designed to help researchers plan experiments, predict outcomes, and automate routine tasks, thereby enhancing the efficiency and scope of scientific investigations.
Dr. Gupta emphasizes the importance of building AI systems that augment human capabilities rather than replace them. He envisions a future where individuals have access to powerful AI assistants that can assist in learning new skills, managing health, and performing daily tasks, thereby improving overall quality of life.
Ethical Considerations and Bias Mitigation
Addressing the ethical implications of AI, Dr. Gupta acknowledges that AI systems can inherit biases present in the data they are trained on. He stresses the need for responsible AI development, highlighting that issues related to bias are not fully resolved yet. Gupta advocates for continuous efforts to mitigate these biases, especially in non-Western contexts, and emphasizes the importance of ethical frameworks and audits in AI deployment.
India’s Role in AI Innovation
Dr. Gupta is also a vocal advocate for India’s leadership in AI research. He believes that India has the potential to become a global leader in AI, drawing parallels to its achievements in space research through ISRO. He encourages Indian researchers to develop cost-efficient and energy-saving AI models and to adopt an ambitious mindset in AI development.
Furthermore, Dr. Gupta highlights the importance of making AI accessible to a broader population. He points to initiatives like Project Vaani, which aims to build AI models that understand over 125 Indian languages, including those with limited digital presence. This project seeks to bridge the digital divide and ensure that AI benefits are accessible to all, regardless of language or region.
Speaking on the topic ‘Transforming India with AI
Why We Need More Data’, Dr. Manish Gupta, said, “Some assume that building foundational AI models requires hundreds of millions of dollars, but we must have the courage to take on challenges that have never been attempted before. AI is an old discipline, almost as old as computing itself. The reason ChatGPT and similar models took off is the innovation of transformer architecture, which has been key to foundational AI models.” Adding to the conversation, Dr. Manish Gupta, said, “AI is accelerating progress on a range of critical problems, from drug discovery and plastic pollution to structural biology. Innovations like AlphaFold are helping us solve complex scientific challenges faster than ever before.”
Sharing his views on AI’s role in language and culture, Dr. Gupta added, “We are focused on building the best multimodal representation for 100+ Indic languages, ensuring AI development is inclusive and supports India’s linguistic diversity. Multicultural AI models will shape the future of technology. Our mission is to build AI responsibly for humanity. The world is excited about AI, but we must ensure it benefits everyone, not just the privileged few. AI expertise should be widespread and accessible to all.”
Talking about AI’s future capabilities, ethics and emotional understanding, he commented, “AI is biased because it is built by humans, and we carry our biases into these systems. The reality is that AI still struggles to understand emotions like love. Companies like Google are working on AI principles to mitigate bias and ensure responsible AI development. AI can become a better version of human beings, like AI can help artists explore new genres, but when it comes to competition, humans will always win. AI can hallucinate, but human creativity and intuition will always have the upper hand.”
The ABP Network’s Ideas of India 2025, centred on the theme ‘Humanity’s Next Frontier’, will convene thought leaders and innovators to explore the challenges and opportunities in India’s ascendance in a rapidly changing world. In the face of climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and technological advancements like AI, the summit delved into India’s role as both an ancient civilisation and a demographic powerhouse in shaping the future. The two-day summit brings together a confluence of ideas from global thought leaders, intellectuals, and change-makers, covering transformative possibilities in science, medicine, social contracts, and global leadership, with experts from diverse fields offering bold visions of a better, more sustainable world for all.
Conclusion
Dr. Manish Gupta’s insights at the Ideas of India 2025 summit highlight the transformative power of AI in science, ethics, and societal inclusion. From accelerating breakthroughs in drug discovery to promoting multilingual AI that respects India’s cultural diversity, Gupta envisions AI as a tool to uplift all sections of society not just a privileged few. His call for responsible, inclusive, and accessible AI development underscores the need for India to invest boldly in foundational models, data infrastructure, and talent. As the country emerges as a key player in global tech innovation, Gupta’s vision positions India not just as a consumer of AI, but as a global leader shaping its ethical and impactful use.
GMICapitals.com RaysVeda.com GetMyStartup.com LawCanal.com GetMyIndia.com ZinCob.com Angeltors.com