Digital innovation and AI skills key to India’s competitive edge

Visakhapatnam: In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses worldwide are grappling with the adoption of emerging technologies that are both exciting and complex, former chairman of Cognizant India, Ramkumar Ramamoorthy stated.

Speaking at the ‘Change Makers’ programme held at GITAM Deemed to be University here on Tuesday, he emphasised that innovation, entrepreneurial dynamism and information and communication technology (ICT) production will be the key drivers of a nation’s competitive edge in the digital era.

Highlighting the role of the ICT industry, he noted that ICT and ICT-enabled sectors make significant contributions to economic growth and employment.

Ramamoorthy pointed out that India has emerged as a preferred destination for Global Capability Centers (GCCs), outperforming many countries due to its strong digital infrastructure, vibrant innovation culture and skilled talent pool. He added that the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst, accelerating digital transformation, particularly in India’s healthcare and medical technology sectors.

Emphasising opportunities for youth, he mentioned that the young generation can greatly benefit from India’s rapid digital transformation. The widespread availability of affordable internet, smartphones and government-led digital initiatives has created a fertile ecosystem for skill development, entrepreneurship and new employment opportunities.

Speaking on Artificial Intelligence, Ramamoorthy stated that AI holds immense potential for the younger generation, provided its principles and applications are deeply understood. He urged students to move beyond traditional academic boundaries and focus on AI-driven adjacent fields such as data literacy, ethics, and prompt engineering.

Addressing the students, Visakhapatnam Member of Parliament M Sribharat highlighted the importance of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which offers students the flexibility to choose major and minor subjects. He mentioned that this holistic and multidisciplinary approach is designed to break rigid academic silos and equip students with essential 21st-century skills required in the AI-driven era. He advised students to utilise these opportunities to build careers with strong future prospects.