Reviewed by Reena Jha Tripathi
Former Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Pune & Rural Maharashtra
Beyond the Hype: Many Realities of AI is a thoughtful and well-researched exploration of artificial intelligence that looks beyond both the hype and the fears surrounding the technology.
To me, it appears to be a well-researched paper that has been thoughtfully compiled into a book, encompassing the trials and tribulations of the emerging world of AI. The emphasis that India's service-oriented culture must transcend into a culture of innovation and discovery is, in my view, the book's most important takeaway. If we are to remain relevant in the years ahead, we must move beyond being merely a service economy. Otherwise, we will continue to remain dependent on countries such as the USA, China, and others that lead in innovation and technology, where the "mind" resides while the "body" remains in India.
Take the generic pharmaceutical industry as an example. The United States has announced a 100% tariff on such products, rising to 200% next year, and the entire industry has been shaken. Although the sector has earned billions of dollars in profits over the years, there has been very little genuine innovation, with APIs largely imported from China, assembled here, and then exported. This is assembly-line production rather than true manufacturing.
It is ironic that many pharmaceutical promoters can afford ₹500-crore apartments yet invest so little in research and development. Had there been sustained investment in R&D over the past 75 years of independence, India might have discovered breakthrough medicines of its own. Compare this with Pfizer, a global pharmaceutical giant that invests heavily in research. It takes years to develop a drug, but once approved, the returns are exponential. Such companies are less affected by tariffs because life-saving medicines have a global market regardless of price. In contrast, much of the Indian pharmaceutical industry remains focused on quarterly profits.
The same absence of innovation is visible across much of the private sector. Many industrialists have accumulated enormous wealth by navigating the regulatory environment rather than pursuing long-term innovation. Philanthropy, too, is often limited. Instead, success is displayed through overseas education for children, luxury foreign goods, and family offices abroad. Compare this with many wealthy Americans who, despite benefiting from a capitalist system, have contributed significantly to society by establishing schools, universities, research institutions, and foundations, not merely for CSR obligations or regulatory benefits, but for the larger public good.
If India is behind China, and I would argue by at least two centuries in terms of innovation, the private sector bears a significant share of the responsibility. Looking to the government alone will not solve the problem. The private sector must increase investment in genuine manufacturing, technological development, and scientific innovation. It must move beyond setting up laboratories merely to claim tax concessions or subsidies. Otherwise, India risks missing yet another technological revolution, this time in AI.
Global Capability Centres (GCCs), despite all the attention they receive today, will continue to function primarily as service providers while the intellectual property and innovation remain elsewhere.
A real-life example illustrates how global companies recognise innovation. My maternal aunt's grandson worked for Microsoft in Hyderabad. After saving some money over a couple of years, he left his job and returned to Delhi, where he and a friend developed an original AI computing solution without relying on existing platforms. As their savings dwindled, financial pressures mounted, and family members questioned their decision to leave secure jobs.
Neither of them came from the IITs, they had graduated from NIT Patna. Eventually, a foreign company noticed their work and acquired their product, on the condition that they relocate because, as they saw it, the "mind" had to be there. There were no visa hurdles or prolonged formalities. It was a pure acquisition of talent, not based on reputation or pedigree, but on capability.
Can we create such an ecosystem in India? I have my doubts.
No matter how much we discuss or write about these issues, we will remain a service economy at the mercy of the global order unless we fundamentally change our approach.
Your book is a thoughtful and balanced exploration of artificial intelligence that rises above both exaggerated optimism and alarmist predictions. Instead of treating AI as either a magical solution or an existential threat, you examine its profound implications for society, governance, economics, ethics, and human civilisation. You argue convincingly that AI is not merely a technological revolution but a force that will reshape human relationships, institutions, and global power dynamics.
The book's greatest strength lies in its interdisciplinary perspective, blending technology with philosophy, public policy, and geopolitics in language that remains accessible to non-specialists. Rather than offering definitive answers, it encourages readers to think critically about how AI should be governed and used for the common good. It is balanced, insightful, and deeply reflective.
Above all, it compels readers to think beyond the usual discourse on AI and to understand its deeper meaning and implications.