“AI Is Just A Tool, Not A Friend”: Vishal Sikka On Why Human Judgment Will Decide India’s AI Future

In a high-impact session, Vishal Sikka, Founder and CEO of Vianai Systems, explored whether India can compete with global AI powerhouses while building original, foundational technologies. Drawing from his early investment in OpenAI and his leadership experience at Infosys, Sikka described AI not as a friend, but as a powerful tool that demands human rigor and judgment. He cautioned against blind reliance on AI outputs, highlighted inherent hallucinations in generative systems, and strongly advocated regulation, safety, and ethics- areas where he said India is showing global leadership.