In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, Sachdev mentioned that businesses in the United States are advancing more rapidly in AI implementation, largely due to investor expectations and pressures from financial markets. While Indian firms are exploring AI, they aren’t investing at the same rate as many organizations in the US.
“India has definitely seen significant advancements on the consumer front. However, regarding enterprise AI, I believe it appears to be lagging compared to other regions at this moment,” Sachdev stated.
This raises an essential question: Is India indeed trailing in enterprise AI adoption, and if so, what are the reasons?
Why are US companies advancing at a faster pace?
Sachdev attributes the primary difference not to technology but to motivation.
He explained that publicly traded companies in the US are increasingly evaluated on their AI strategies by investors and analysts. Firms that can illustrate substantial AI deployment are often rewarded by market trends, whereas those that cannot might face scrutiny regarding their future competitiveness.
“What is Wall Street signaling to companies in their earnings?” Sachdev asked. “Unless they can present a story that highlights some remarkable AI progress in the last 90 days, which positively impacts their numbers, their stock may take a hit.”
This pressure is generating a sense of urgency among American leaders, he added.
According to Uniphore’s observations across global markets, US enterprises are “approximately 12 to 15 months ahead” of their peers in Europe and Asia in terms of AI maturity and adoption.
Is India behind the rest of Asia?
Not necessarily.
Sachdev indicated that some Asian markets are already making significant strides in enterprise AI.
He pointed out that Singapore and Hong Kong are rapidly adopting advanced AI systems, with insurance companies and other large entities increasingly automating business processes through AI agents.
“Interestingly, Southeast Asia, Singapore, and Hong Kong aren’t lagging behind Europe. Quite the opposite, they’re at the forefront of advanced AI,” he noted.
Australia and New Zealand are also emerging as vital growth markets for enterprise AI, prompting several global AI companies to enhance their presence there.
Why isn’t India exhibiting comparable urgency?
One reason, according to Sachdev, is that Indian capital markets have not yet provided the same incentives for AI investments as Wall Street.
“When Wall Street asserts, ‘We’ll reward you for your AI investments,’ they truly mean it. They’re backing it with their capital,” he said.
Conversely, Indian firms do not encounter the same level of investor pressure to rapidly boost AI spending. Consequently, executives may be more cautious regarding capital allocation for AI initiatives.
This discrepancy in market expectations, he argued, has created a gap in adoption speed between the US and numerous other regions.
What are enterprises emphasizing at present?
While the initial phase of AI adoption focused on experimentation, enterprises are now concentrating on making AI operational in production settings.
Kandiah mentioned that businesses are increasingly looking past the hype and seeking practical insights into deployment, governance, security, and return on investment.
“There is significant pent-up demand for AI and computational capabilities, but ultimately, they need to implement functional solutions,” he said.
“Our emphasis has been on assisting customers in transitioning from initial experimentation to large-scale production.”
Both executives agreed that enterprises are now prioritizing lower AI costs, enhanced control over their data, and increased flexibility in selecting AI models and infrastructure.
Could India swiftly catch up?
Despite his assessment that India currently trails some global markets in enterprise AI adoption, Sachdev remains optimistic about the country’s future potential.
He believes AI will fundamentally transform business models across various industries, creating substantial opportunities for companies willing to evolve.
The challenge, however, lies in the pace of change.
“Companies, CEOs, and governments are currently adjusting more slowly than the world is evolving,” he stated.
As AI adoption accelerates globally, the central question for Indian businesses may shift from whether to invest in AI to how rapidly they can transition from experimentation to large-scale deployment.
