Former Infosys CEO and AI entrepreneur Vishal Sikka said artificial intelligence is already present in phones, TVs, and kitchen appliances.
Sikka's perspective shifts the conversation from speculative future capabilities to current utility. By framing AI as a tool rather than a distant promise, he highlights the immediate integration of the technology into the global economy and domestic life.
During an interview on CNBC TV18’s “Voices from the Valley” with Shereen Bhan, Sikka said AI should be viewed as a tool rather than future hype. He said the technology is not a far-off prospect but is already functioning within the living rooms of millions of people.
Sikka also addressed the scarcity of high-level technical expertise in the field. He said only about 5,000 people worldwide [1] possess the capability to build a frontier AI model. This gap suggests a significant concentration of power and knowledge among a very small group of global specialists.
To illustrate the efficiency of these tools, Sikka shared a personal example of productivity. He said he used AI to rebuild 2.5 years [2] of organizational work in less than one hour [2]. This drastic reduction in labor time underscores the potential for AI to disrupt traditional corporate workflows and administrative processes.
Sikka's comments come amid broader discussions regarding India's AI ambitions. His focus remains on the practical application of the technology to drive innovation and economic growth within the region.
“AI is already present in phones, TVs, and kitchen appliances”
Sikka's assertions highlight a paradox in the current AI landscape: while the end-user application of AI is ubiquitous and accessible, the ability to create the underlying 'frontier' models remains an extremely rare skill. This suggests that while many industries will be transformed by AI tools, the strategic control of the technology remains centralized among a tiny global elite.
