By Sagar Gosalia
Imagine a farmer in rural India checking her smartphone to see an AI-powered app predicting the best time to sow crops, thanks to a tool her village crowdfunded. Or a teacher in a small town using an adaptive learning platform, designed by local NGOs, to help students with dyslexia thrive. This is the future of AI in India—where technology isn’t just for the elite but shaped by the people it’s meant to serve.
Breaking down the AI barriers: How communities can fund the future
AI has long been dominated by big corporations with deep pockets. Training complex models requires expensive tech and expertise, leaving grassroots innovators out of the race. OpenAI alone has spent billions developing its latest models, making access to cutting-edge AI a privilege reserved for a few. But India’s diversity is its strength. With the government investing in its own AI infrastructure (think India AI Mission and 18,000 GPUs in its upcoming AI supercomputing initiative), there’s a chance to rewrite the rules. The key? Decentralized funding.
Picture this: Farmers’ cooperatives pooling resources to develop weather-predicting AI. Parents crowdfunding apps for children with learning disabilities. Local businesses backing AI tools to track water scarcity. By shifting from “profit-driven” to “people-driven” funding—through platforms like crowdfunding, impact investing, or even small community grants—AI becomes a tool for the masses, not just the few.
Lessons from UPI: If payments can go grassroots, why not AI?
India’s UPI revolution showed how technology can thrive when it’s built with people, not just for them. Similarly, AI could leapfrog barriers if communities co-own its development. The Indian government’s National AI Portal and AI Innovation Fund are steps toward this vision, supporting AI startups in agriculture, healthcare, and education. Take China’s DeepSeek AI, which built powerful models on a fraction of OpenAI’s budget. Why can’t India do the same? Open-source tools and frugal innovation could slash costs, letting startups in Indore or Coimbatore create AI solutions for regional challenges—like crop failures or maternal healthcare.
Beyond Bengaluru: Growing AI in Tier-2 towns
AI hubs don’t need to be in tech metros. Imagine a local innovation center in Raipur training women to build AI tools for handicraft artisans. Or a college in Jaipur developing chatbots to connect farmers to market prices. The IndiaAI Compute Platform, proposed by the government, aims to democratize AI access by reducing infrastructure costs, ensuring startups and research centers beyond Bengaluru can develop AI-driven solutions. Community funding could accelerate this. A national “AI for Good” fund—backed by citizens, CSR funds, and global donors—could kickstart projects in overlooked regions.
Policy power-ups: Tax breaks, trust, and transparency
For this to work, policies need to cheerlead. Think tax incentives for social-impact AI projects, or grants for startups tackling climate change. But trust matters too. Blockchain could track where every rupee goes, ensuring funds aren’t misused. Imagine a dashboard showing how your ₹500 donation helped train an AI model detecting early signs of diabetes in rural clinics. The government’s Responsible AI for India framework could play a crucial role in ensuring ethical deployment, protecting against biases, and maintaining data privacy.
Your Turn: Be part of the change
The future of AI in India isn’t just about coding—it’s about collaboration. What if you could invest in an AI tool that helps your hometown? Whether it’s ₹100 or mentorship, every bit counts. Platforms like Milaap or ImpactGuru could soon host AI projects where you can back ideas that matter.
As India races to lead in AI, let’s ensure it’s a race where everyone can run. Because when communities hold the purse strings, technology doesn’t just get smarter—it gets kinder.
Ready to help shape an AI-powered India? We all must support local innovators. Or simply ask: “What can AI do for my community?” The answer might surprise you.
Sagar Gosalia is the COO of JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation