AI Appreciation Day 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Appreciation Day, founded by A.I. Heart LLC in May 2021, is an initiative aimed at encouraging people to pause and reflect on the advancement, benefits, ethics, and future possibilities of AI. While some critics dismiss it as merely “a marketing ploy by a US-based firm that sells T-shirts” (Mint), many have embraced it as a platform to spark meaningful dialogue around the transformative potential of AI technology.

In India, AI Appreciation Day has gained increasing recognition as the country emerges as a significant player in the global AI landscape. The observance reflects India's growing efforts to harness AI in sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, and industry—not just in urban tech hubs like Bengaluru and Hyderabad, but also in rural and semi-urban areas.

India’s AI journey began as early as the 1960s, rooted in foundational computer science research. A pivotal moment arrived in 1986 with the Knowledge-Based Computer Systems (KBCS) project, a government initiative to foster intelligent computing. During the 1990s, institutions like C-DAC (Centre for Development of Advanced Computing) played a major role in promoting supercomputing and early AI experimentation.

By the 2000s, IT giants such as TCS, Infosys, and Wipro began investing in AI research and development. Parallelly, academic institutions started nurturing a skilled talent pool, laying the groundwork for India’s AI ecosystem. The Digital India initiative, launched in 2015, and NITI Aayog’s National Strategy for AI in 2018, further accelerated growth by prioritizing AI as a national agenda for both economic development and inclusive progress.

The National Strategy for AI, often referred to as “AI for All,” envisions the use of AI not just to boost GDP but to improve everyday lives—especially in underrepresented and underserved communities. It advocates for inclusion, equity, and ethical deployment of AI technologies, ensuring the benefits reach all sections of society.

Today, India is positioning itself as a global AI leader. Its software engineering talent, combined with access to large, diverse datasets, makes it an ideal environment to build and test robust AI solutions. From traffic management and precision agriculture to public health systems, AI applications in India are being tested under real-world conditions that reflect both scale and diversity.

To support this momentum, the Indian government has launched several skilling and research programs. These include the Skill India AI Portal, the National AI Skilling Programme, and the AI Youth Bootcamp, which provide hands-on training, certifications, and project experience to students, professionals, and vocational workers. Traditional industries are also being revitalized through AI-enabled tools.

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India is also boosting AI research through strategic partnerships with global technology giants like Google, Microsoft, and IBM, along with dedicated funding initiatives and new centres of excellence that foster collaboration between academia and industry.

As the nation observes AI Appreciation Day, it's not just about celebrating technological milestones—it’s a moment for reflection on the responsible and ethical use of AI. India’s AI evolution is as much about human empowerment as it is about machine intelligence—a journey shaped by long-term planning, inclusive policies, and a commitment to making AI work for everyone.

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