#BTDavos2026 | Exclusive: Ananya Birla On AI, Financial Inclusion And India’s Growth Path

Ananya Birla, Director of the Aditya Birla Group, shares her insights from Davos 2026 on the global economic landscape and India's growth trajectory. Highlighting the group's massive scale, she notes that the Aditya Birla Group reached a market cap of US$115 billion as of March 2025, spanning 41 countries. Birla emphasizes the 'moral dilemma' of AI, arguing that human capital and emotional intelligence (EQ) are more critical than ever to prevent labor redundancy. Discussing her entrepreneurial ventures, she reveals that Svatantra Microfin has disbursed over ₹65,000 crore since inception, becoming India's second-largest microfinance institution with industry-leading ROA and NPA metrics. In the real estate sector, Birla reports a 92% CAGR for the group's housing business, driven by a post-COVID surge in luxury residential demand. She remains bullish on the 'Made in India' story, citing the success of founder-led brands like Contraband in competing with global labels for the discerning Gen Z consumer.