India should adapt AI, not build from scratch: Narayana Murthy

India should adapt AI, not build from scratch: Narayana Murthy
15 Nov 2024

Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy has defended India's IT services industry against criticisms of its lack of innovation, particularly in the development of large language models (LLMs).

While some argue that the industry's mindset hinders innovation, Murthy believes India should focus on leveraging existing LLMs and adapting them to local needs rather than building them from scratch.

He highlighted the IT services industry's proven track record in delivering innovative solutions and its role in driving India's economic growth.

Murthy advocates for adapting existing AI models
AI adaptation

The debate in AI sector is whether India should build its own LLM.

While some argue for a homegrown model, Murthy and his Infosys peer and Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani, feel it's more feasible to adapt existing models given limited data infrastructure and high development costs.

"At this point in time, my view is India...should use the wonderful inventions that have happened in AI abroad and see how best to adapt it to India for our own benefits," Murthy stated.

Data limitations and AI development
Data challenges

Murthy emphasized that India's tradition of oral knowledge over written has led to a dearth of large data repositories, which are crucial for LLMs.

"Without big data, AI has no value. Large language model doesn't make any sense," he said at the Infosys Science Foundation (ISF) awards in Bengaluru on Thursday.

This perspective matches his opinion on adapting, not inventing, technologies from scratch.

Government supports adaptation of existing AI models
Government stance

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) secretary S Krishnan also supports the idea of adapting existing models rather than building an LLM from scratch.

He suggested that it might not be worth the effort to create a new model, and instead recommended using existing ones for specific sectors.

This stance aligns with Murthy's viewpoint on leveraging foreign AI advancements for India's benefit.

Paise for IT sector's contributions, suggested education reforms
Sector impact

Murthy lauded the IT services industry for generating millions of jobs, earning foreign exchange, and providing critical solutions to clients worldwide.

"We should all be grateful to the IT services industry; we should all salute them," he said.

He also proposed education reforms to enhance India's innovation capacity, suggesting that educators from developed countries could train Indian teachers in critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Murthy commends Aadhaar, ONDC for adapting foreign tech

Despite acknowledging India's innovation shortcomings, Murthy lauded efforts like Aadhaar and Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) for successfully localizing foreign technology for India's benefit.

These initiatives are a testament to his belief in the importance of tweaking and utilizing existing technologies to suit local requirements.

This is in line with his general philosophy of capitalizing on global progress instead of reinventing the wheel in tech.