New Delhi: Addressing the inaugural India AI Impact Summit 2026, Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), unveiled a massive roadmap for India’s digital future, pledging a ₹10 lakh crore investment over the next seven years to propel the nation into the “Intelligence Era”.
Speaking on the theme of “AI for VIKSIT BHARAT,” Ambani predicted that “India will emerge as one of the greatest AI powers in the world in the 21st century.” He emphasized that this transition is central to realizing the dream of a fully developed nation by 2047.
From Internet Era to Intelligence Era
Reflecting on Jio’s influence over the past decade, Ambani indicated that the company will transition from providing data connectivity to delivering AI-powered services.
“Jio connected India to the Internet Era; Jio will now connect India to the Intelligence Era. We will deliver intelligence to every citizen, every sector of the economy, every facet of social development, and every service of government,” he said.
He added that this shift would maintain the same standards of reliability, scale, quality, and affordability that reshaped digital connectivity.
“India cannot afford to rent intelligence. We will reduce the cost of intelligence as dramatically as we did the cost of data,” he said.
₹10 lakh crore investment roadmap
Ambani further announced that Jio, together with Reliance, plans to invest ₹10 lakh crore over the next seven years beginning this year.
“This isn’t speculative investment to chase valuation … this is disciplined nation-building capital designed to create durable economic value and strategic resilience for decades to come,” he said.
Building Sovereign Compute Infrastructure
As part of the third key announcement, Ambani detailed Jio’s plan to create sovereign compute infrastructure through multiple large-scale initiatives.
Gigawatt-Scale Data Centres: Construction has already begun on AI-ready data centres in Jamnagar, with over 120 MW coming online in the second half of 2026.
Green Energy Advantage: Reliance will leverage its 10 GW green-power surplus, anchored by solar projects in Kutch and Andhra Pradesh, to power these energy-intensive operations.
Nationwide Edge Compute: A deeply integrated edge-compute layer within Jio’s network will ensure low-latency AI is available close to where Indians “live, learn, and work.”
AI as a Modern-Day ‘Akshaya Patra’
Describing the potential of the technology, Ambani likened AI to the legendary vessel from the Mahabharata. “I see AI as a modern-day Akshaya Patra, the legendary vessel in the Mahabharata that provided endless nourishment to all,” he said, noting that it offers “limitless augmentation in knowledge, efficiency, and productivity.”
Ambani also addressed concerns regarding language and inclusion, promising that Jio AI would be world-leading in its multilingual capabilities:“Jio AI Bharat ki bhaasha mein bolega. Bharat ki sanskruti mein phoolega. Bharat ki mitti mein phalega” (Jio AI will speak in the languages of India, flourish in the culture of India, and bear fruit in the soil of India).
Impact Across Sectors
Ambani also highlighted several existing AI applications designed for inclusive development, including:
JioShikshak: An adaptive AI teaching assistant available in 22 languages.
Jio ArogyaAI: Providing medical guidance in local languages in under five minutes.
JioKrishi: Converting satellite imagery into voice-first advice for 140 million farmers.
JioFrames: An upcoming AI glasses device designed to make intelligence truly “ambient.”
Concluding his keynote, Ambani called for global cooperation over polarization, stating that the success of the AI movement hinges on “sharing, not hoarding; through collaborations, not conflicts.” He urged the nation to combine intelligence with empathy to build a better future for all.
