AI Advancements in India at the World Economic Forum 2026
At the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 held in Davos, the focus was on how India is emerging as an important centre for impactful AI research. James Manyika, Senior Vice President at Google Alphabet, discussed various initiatives such as implementing life-saving diabetic screenings and developing monsoon models for approximately 38 million farmers, demonstrating India’s capacity to utilise AI effectively in addressing major issues.
AI Bridging Healthcare Gaps in India
In an interview with Startup Superb, Manyika elaborated on India’s strategic implementation of AI across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and education.
James Manyika mentioned that over 600,000 patients in India have undergone retinal scans for diabetic retinopathy. He expressed optimism about collaborating with partners in India to potentially diagnose millions more through this technology.
This indicates that AI has the potential to close healthcare access gaps, particularly in developing regions. Moreover, AI-powered diagnostics could efficiently tackle diseases such as tuberculosis, where nearly 40% of cases worldwide remain undiagnosed, according to Manyika.
AI for Agriculture and Climate Predictions
Manyika informed Startup Superb that AI-driven monsoon predictions could be beneficial for over 38 million farmers in India.
He stated that last year, collaboration with the Indian Ministry of Agriculture led to advancements in predicting monsoons. By employing the latest neural GCM models, they managed to issue monsoon warnings to 38 million farmers during an initial trial.
This kind of innovation is anticipated to have a significant impact, especially as climate change continues to affect the monsoon patterns.
Google’s Investment in India
The dialogue also touched on Google’s substantial $15 billion investment in India last year, which encompasses various sectors including infrastructure, data centres, research, training, and innovation.
Manyika expressed enthusiasm about the possibilities for investment, innovation, and the development of research in India, emphasising that such initiatives would benefit both India and the global community.
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