Why IMF perception about India being a ‘Second-Tier’ AI Player, needs a revisit |

“Instead of arguing about Tier-1 or Tier-2, the real question is whether AI will actually benefit 1.44 crore people.”
In this episode of Mint Techcetra, we begin with IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav pushing back against the IMF’s ‘second-tier AI’ label for India, and ask whether this whole idea of ranking countries into AI tiers is even useful anymore. From Stanford’s AI rankings to India’s growing ecosystem of foundational models, local language datasets, voice AI, chips, and data centre infrastructure, we discuss why India is often called an applications hub and whether that makes it any less of an AI innovator. Is the world judging India by the right parameters, or is the tier debate just a distraction from what’s actually being built?

The conversation then moves from national ambition to workplace reality, as we unpack findings from the Randstad Workmonitor 2026. Why do employees believe AI is boosting productivity and shareholder value but not necessarily their own outcomes? Why are many workers turning to AI for advice instead of their managers, even while claiming they have strong manager relationships? From the growing “AI reality gap” to questions around trust, reskilling, and execution, this episode connects India’s AI with what it means on the ground and whether this transition is really inclusive, or just efficient.

Chapters

00:10 Why AI Is Everywhere Right Now
03:12 The reason behind why Ashwini vaishnav stand against the IMF statement
23:16 What Randstad Workmonitor report of 2026 has to say
33:56 The Bigger Question: Who Does AI Really Benefit?


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