From ‘Roti, Kapda, Makan’ to AI: India’s Next Essential Skill

India’s ability to equip its youth with AI literacy will shape its future as AI spreads.

Vivek Varshney, founder of SpeEdLabs and creator of STEMlearn.AI, argues AI should be treated as a foundational skill like literacy and numeracy.

Varshney believes India's best opportunity is to prepare a generation to work with AI rather than focus on inventing breakthrough models.

Integrating AI into existing subjects is the best way forward, so all students understand how intelligent systems work, their possibilities, limitations, and responsible use.

AI will operate at a much bigger scale in healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and other sectors beyond current chatbots and tools.