Indian tech leaders urge responsible AI & stronger cyber

Indian technology executives marked National Technology Day by calling for more responsible and resilient use of artificial intelligence and digital systems. Leaders from software, infrastructure, cybersecurity, defence and education technology highlighted ethics, security, talent and the data foundations that support them.

Several industry figures said ethical frameworks and accountability must keep pace with rapid AI adoption. They linked responsible use of data and algorithms to long-term business trust, national security and the employability of India's young workforce.

Vinod Babu Bollikonda, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cloud Softech Solutions, said companies face growing scrutiny over how AI systems shape real-world decisions and social outcomes. He described responsibility as central to competitiveness in a market operating at India's scale.

"On National Technology Day, the focus must shift from simply advancing technology to using it responsibly. With AI and digital systems shaping real-world outcomes, prioritising ethical use, efficiency and sustainability is no longer optional; it is essential to building trust and lasting impact. This also means ensuring data privacy, reducing bias in AI systems and building transparency into how technology operates. At Blue Cloud Softech Solutions Limited, this translates into building solutions that are not only high-performing but also accountable and inclusive, ensuring technology drives meaningful and equitable growth. At the core of our approach is a simple belief: performance and responsibility must go hand in hand, because at India's scale, trust will be the true measure of technological success." - Vinod Babu Bollikonda, Managing Director & Group CEO, Blue Cloud Softech Solutions Limited.

Corporate security leaders drew a direct link between AI progress and rising cyber risk. Attackers already use machine learning and automation at scale, raising the bar for defences across the public and private sectors.

Chetan Jain, Managing Director of Inspira Enterprise, linked the day's theme to a more security-conscious posture amid escalating digital threats.

"On this National Technology Day, we celebrate the spirit of innovation in building a more connected and secure future in today's digital world. Organisations must protect themselves from the constant onslaught of sophisticated, AI-powered cyber threats and remain resilient. The only way forward is to commit to AI-specific security measures. At Inspira, we are focused on empowering organizations across sectors with advanced, AI-driven technologies to secure future-ready digital ecosystems that enhance resilience and support sustainable growth." - Chetan Jain, Managing Director, Inspira Enterprise.

Infrastructure specialists said many firms still lack the data foundations needed for AI-intensive workloads. They argued that technology investments now depend less on headline models and more on how data is organised, governed and accessed across hybrid environments.

"Every technological leap in history has been preceded by an infrastructure revolution, and AI is no different. But here is what we observe on the ground: organizations are not failing at AI because they lack ambition or talent. They are failing because their data infrastructure was never built for this moment. Fragmented storage, siloed environments and governance frameworks designed for a pre-AI world are the real blockers, and they are far more common than the industry likes to admit.

At NetApp, we have defined what AI-ready infrastructure actually demands: data that is unified across every environment, performance that scales without compromise and governance that earns trust at the enterprise level. These are not aspirations on a roadmap; they are engineering principles we bring to every deployment, every conversation and every customer challenge we solve.

The organizations that will lead the AI decade are not waiting for better models. They are the ones fixing the foundation today. The AI era will be won not just by those who write the best models, but by those who build the most dependable ground beneath them." - Vasanthi Ramesh, Vice President of Engineering and Site Leader, NetApp India.

Education and training providers focused on the workforce implications of these shifts. They highlighted the growth of India's creator economy and the need for stronger digital literacy, intellectual property awareness and security practices.

"National Technology Day highlights the growing need to make technology impactful, accessible, responsible and industry-relevant. India's rapidly expanding creator economy, with more than 2 million creators influencing over USD 350 billion in consumer spending, reflects how technology is opening new career and entrepreneurship opportunities for young talent. At the same time, government initiatives such as the introduction of AVGC labs across schools and institutions are helping build a stronger, future-ready talent pipeline for creative careers. As AI continues to transform content creation, animation and storytelling, it is crucial to promote responsible innovation by encouraging originality, intellectual property rights and greater awareness of security and copyright practices. Through our training brands, Aptech is focused on strengthening industry-integrated learning, expanding access to emerging technology education and preparing students with future-ready skills across AI, AVGC-XR, virtual production and creator-led industries. Our aim is to bridge the gap between education and employability while contributing to a more responsible, innovation-driven and globally competitive creative ecosystem." - Sandip Weling, Whole-time Director and Chief Business Officer, Global Retail, Aptech Limited.

Academic integrity and AI's role in classrooms also featured in the commentary. Assessment specialist Turnitin pointed to the risk that new tools could erode critical thinking if institutions do not adapt their approach.

"On National Technology Day, we are reminded that technology's greatest promise lies not in what it can do for us, but in what it enables us to learn and become. At Turnitin, we believe the most meaningful application of technology in education is one that strengthens the relationship between students and their own thinking. As generative AI becomes an increasingly visible force in classrooms and institutions across India and the world, the opportunity before us is not to resist this shift, but to shape it responsibly. The future of education lies in fostering integrity, critical thinking and human creativity, where AI augments curiosity rather than replaces it." - Chaitali Moitra, Regional Director - South Asia, Turnitin.

From a national security perspective, aerospace and defence suppliers stressed the importance of unseen but critical technologies that support armed forces and strategic programmes. They presented reliability and certified quality as central to India's push for greater self-reliance in defence production.

"National Technology Day reminds us that the most important technologies are often the ones never seen, but must perform flawlessly when the nation needs them most. In aerospace and defence, precision, reliability and trust are not optional. Every component, every system and every process carries responsibility - a responsibility to serve our Nation's defence.

At Hical, this belief has guided us for decades. As India strengthens its position in the global aerospace and defence ecosystem, we remain committed to proving that Make in India also stands for trusted engineering, certified quality and world-class execution." - Yashas Jaiveer, Managing Director, Hical Technologies.