‘India is already a superpower in AI’: Pranav Mistry

India’s history of being a software services powerhouse has already given the country the tools to become a superpower in artificial intelligence (AI) development, according to Pranav Mistry, founder of Silicon Valley-based deep-tech startup Two Platforms Inc.

Delivering the closing keynote at the Mint AI Summit on April 29, the computer scientist who is known for his inventions including the gesture-based wearable computer technology called 'Sixth Sense', asserted, “AI is synonymous with software and India is already a superpower in software. I don't think there is any software company in India right now that doesn't use a machine learning (ML) model or training. It is the next chapter of the software industry.” 

Mistry added that Two Platforms Inc. will open up an office in Mumbai, India soon, and hire talent locally. The company received an investment of $15 million from Mukesh Ambani-led Jio Platforms in February this year. Mistry said Jio brings a strong user base and understanding of the Indian market. It will give the right channel to experiment with new concepts.

“One of the key things I have learned while working with corporate is that sometimes reach is very important to try ideas and see what works,” he added. 

Mistry also called for a more open-minded approach to data privacy. He said the industry already has algorithms that can train machine learning (ML) programs even when data is encrypted. “Imagine the potential of it. We don’t have to worry about whether a certain company is looking at our data or an ML model training on the data, or whether data from India is residing in India,” he said.

However, he agreed that data generated in India should stay in India, something that India’s upcoming data protection laws are expected to mandate. Mistry added that if such data can be encrypted and used for research, then it could “benefit the whole world and vice versa our systems will become much better”.

“I don't think we should limit our understanding of AI. When I was in school, AI was taught as statistical reasoning. I feel there is 99% more to explore before we can say we understand AI. Different approaches are required,” added Mistry.

Prior to starting Two Platforms Mistry has worked with Microsoft, Google and Samsung’s Star Labs. Mistry points out, though startups have limited resources they can do what big corporations can’t-- try different things and take risks. 

Two Platforms is working on the concept of artificial reality, which is an AI-generated synthetic or alternate reality.

Mistry explains we are already in the middle of both worlds. A lot of people are trying this approach from different sides. Metaverse is one such perspective where you take a 3D world and mimic the real world.

“These concepts have always been there. We have seen references to them in our epics like Mahabharata. People always wanted to live in a different reality. The only thing is now that people want to control it. Now is the perfect opportunity to achieve the best of both worlds,” he added. 

Watch the whole summit here link: Join us at the next big event on AI: Mint AI Summit - YouTube