PwC India Unveils Transformative AI Vision for Viksit Bharat at Davos Forum
In a significant development at the World Economic Forum in Davos, PwC India launched its flagship report titled AI Edge for Viksit Bharat, outlining an ambitious roadmap for artificial intelligence-driven national development. The comprehensive analysis presents a compelling economic case for AI adoption, projecting substantial contributions to India's priority sectors over the next decade.
Economic Impact: $550 Billion Potential by 2035
According to detailed economic modelling conducted by PwC, artificial intelligence holds the potential to contribute approximately USD 550 billion to five critical sectors by 2035 at a nominal level. These priority areas include:
- Agriculture
- Education
- Energy
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
The report positions India as a potential global benchmark for how emerging economies can deploy AI in a transformative and equitable manner, shifting the conversation from mere efficiency gains to broader societal benefits.
The 3A2I Framework: A National Playbook for AI Integration
Central to the report is PwC's proprietary 3A2I framework, designed as a national, system-level playbook to enable AI to function as a connected "central nervous system" for India's development. This comprehensive model operates through three foundational pillars:
- Access: Building robust infrastructure for data availability, technological capabilities, and skill development across sectors
- Acceptance: Fostering trust through transparent operations, ethical safeguards, and responsible AI practices
- Assimilation: Embedding AI technologies into real-world workflows and operational processes
Once these foundations are firmly established, the framework will drive large-scale implementation and long-term institutionalisation of AI through comprehensive governance structures, supportive policies, and continuous learning mechanisms.
Sectoral Transformations: From Agriculture to Manufacturing
PwC's analysis demonstrates how AI can become a powerful driver of sectoral growth across multiple domains:
- Agriculture: Boosting crop productivity while significantly reducing agricultural waste through precision farming techniques
- Education: Improving school governance and administrative efficiency through data-driven decision-making
- Energy: Cutting power theft through advanced monitoring systems and smart grid management
- Healthcare: Accelerating disease detection and improving diagnostic accuracy for better patient outcomes
- Manufacturing: Enhancing product quality through predictive maintenance and automated quality control
The report highlights real-world pilots already demonstrating this potential, including AI-enabled crop advisories delivering double-digit efficiency gains, smart metering systems flagging high-accuracy theft cases, and AI-driven tuberculosis detection dramatically improving notification rates. Scaling such applications, even to modest levels, could save hundreds of millions of dollars annually across sectors.
The AI Edge Framework: Five Tangible Outcomes
PwC introduced the AI Edge framework, defining five tangible outcomes India should expect from AI deployed at scale:
- Operational Excellence: Streamlined processes and enhanced productivity across systems
- Sustainability: Environmental stewardship and resource optimization
- Good Governance: Transparent, accountable, and efficient public administration
- Resilience: Robust systems capable of withstanding disruptions and adapting to challenges
- Financial Discipline: Cost optimization and improved fiscal management
These outcomes represent a significant shift in the global AI conversation, moving beyond efficiency alone to encompass broader considerations of transparency, environmental responsibility, system reliability, and inclusive value creation across both public and private ecosystems.
Maharashtra's Leadership in AI Implementation
The report was unveiled by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who emphasized the state's commitment to leveraging AI for public benefit. "AI is revolutionising all spheres of life, and we are embedding it in governance to democratise its impact," stated Fadnavis.
He highlighted Maharashtra's progress in creating strong digital infrastructure and leveraging data for deeper digitization. Specific initiatives mentioned include:
- An AI-based application for farmers, available in Marathi, actively used for understanding crop cycles and appropriate pesticide usage
- Development of an innovative city designed to advance the state's larger AI agenda
- Ease of Doing Business (EODB) improvements through AI-powered platforms like MAITRI for industrial investments
- Recent cancellation of 17 laws as part of a decriminalization drive to reduce regulatory burdens
"By bringing down multiple permission regimes and leveraging AI, we are confident of reducing red tape even further," added the Chief Minister, underscoring the state's commitment to creating an enabling environment for technological innovation.
A Decisive Moment for India's Development Trajectory
As India advances toward its Viksit Bharat vision, the report underscores that the country stands at a decisive moment where responsible, systemic, and inclusive AI deployment can reshape national growth trajectories. The analysis emphasizes that with deep collaboration among government, industry, academia, and civil society, India can build an AI ecosystem that learns continuously, scales responsibly, and ensures every community benefits from this technological shift.
This collaborative approach is essential for driving sustainable and equitable national progress, positioning India not just as a consumer of AI technology, but as a global leader in developing and implementing AI solutions that address real-world challenges while creating widespread economic opportunities.
