In a speech delivered to a large audience of Indian computer code developers in Bengaluru, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the importance of leveraging the company's artificial intelligence (AI) tools across its products. Nadella highlighted the significant presence of Indian developers on GitHub, a popular software development platform, with over 13.2 million users, the second-largest user base after the United States. He predicted that India is positioned to surpass the US and secure the top spot by 2027 or 2028.
Nadella expressed Microsoft's belief that AI adoption in India could contribute to achieving 10% ($500 billion) of the country's GDP target for 2025, although he did not provide further details on the company's plans. Microsoft is currently constructing its fourth data center in India, near Nadella's hometown of Hyderabad. This new addition will complement the existing data centers in Mumbai, Pune, and Chennai. Before heading back to the United States, Nadella is set to visit Hyderabad.
Highlighting Microsoft's competitive advantage in the AI space, Nadella referenced the company's partnership with OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT. Nadella claimed that Microsoft's position is still ahead on most benchmarks, asserting that they have the best model available, while confidently anticipating the arrival of competition.
This week marked Nadella's milestone of ten years as the CEO of Microsoft. Under his leadership, the company's market value reached an impressive $3 trillion, surpassing that of any other publicly traded company, including their long-time rival Apple Inc.
Within India, Microsoft's subsidiary, headquartered in Hyderabad, operates 11 offices and employs nearly 18,000 individuals. The company has demonstrated its commitment to the Indian market and talent by rolling out numerous initiatives. These include a month-long AI training program aimed at equipping 100,000 developers with AI skills and an announcement made in Mumbai that Microsoft intends to provide AI skills training to two million Indians by 2025.
India holds a crucial position for Microsoft, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously meeting with Nadella during a visit to the United States. The discussions encompassed various topics, with AI taking center stage as a key area of interest.
As Microsoft continues to forge ahead with its AI initiatives, the company aims to capitalize on the immense potential that technology holds for India's development. The deployment of AI tools across Microsoft's portfolio, combined with ongoing investments and strategic partnerships, showcases the company's commitment to innovation in India's rapidly growing tech sector.
