India can play a pivotal role by emerging as a global powerhouse in the next phase of artificial intelligence due to its vast talent base, growing digital infrastructure and vibrant startup ecosystem, said Demis Hassabis, chief executive of Google DeepMind, on Thursday. He also added that the world is currently at a ‘threshold moment’ in the development of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
Addressing the India AI Summit, he described the momentum around artificial intelligence in India as striking, noting that the scale and energy of innovation could have global implications. "It's incredibly impressive to see the energy around the country, and I think that India will indeed be a powerhouse for AI across the globe," he said.
Hassabis characterised artificial intelligence as among the most transformative technologies ever developed. However, he cautioned that the arrival of AGI also demands careful and deliberate navigation and "and if we do so, I'm very optimistic that we'll usher in a great new era", said Google DeepMind CEO. Thus, if handled thoughtfully, he said, the technology could open the door to a new era of scientific discovery and societal progress.
He emphasised the need for a rigorous, scientific approach to understand AGI’s capabilities, and at the same time, how important it is to create robust guardrails and monitoring mechanisms to ensure there is no misuse of the AI. Such an approach, he argued, would help ensure that advanced AI systems are deployed responsibly while maximising their benefits for humanity.
While highlighting the power of large foundation models of AI in terms of assisting scientific research and tackling complex, specialised problems, Hassabis also emphasised that it is important to understand the limitations. He highlighted that these systems still lack creativity and judgment, and these two are central to breakthroughs in science. “What separates good scientists from great scientists is creativity and taste,” he added.
Looking ahead, Hassabis said artificial intelligence is likely to reshape nearly every domain of science and medicine. From accelerating research to improving healthcare outcomes, the technology could significantly enhance human well-being and living standards. Thus, Hassabis called for a "bold" approach to grab the new opportunities in every field , particularly medicines and how AI can improve human health and the living conditions that "society and the globe badly needs".