TLDR: Former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar advised students and young professionals at the Oxford India Forum 2025 to view Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a significant opportunity rather than a challenge. He highlighted AI’s potential to profoundly reshape workflows and redefine talent, urging India to invest in AI talent, open-source models, and ethical AI development for global impact.
Oxford, UK – At the prestigious Oxford India Forum 2025, former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar delivered a compelling address, urging students and young professionals to perceive Artificial Intelligence (AI) not as a looming threat but as a transformative opportunity. Speaking on July 4th and 5th, Chandrasekhar emphasized that AI is poised to bring ‘extremely deep change in the workflows’ and will lead to a fundamental ‘reimagining’ of the concept of talent and skills in the workplace.
Chandrasekhar, who previously served as the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, cautioned students against both overestimating and underestimating AI’s profound impact. He advised, ‘Don’t underestimate the power of AI or how you will work and how you will succeed or fail,’ underscoring the necessity for adaptability and foresight in the evolving digital landscape.
During his session on ‘India’s AI moment,’ Chandrasekhar articulated a vision for India to leverage AI as a ‘strategic opportunity to shape global digital norms.’ He called for comprehensive investment beyond just AI talent, advocating for the development of open-source models, robust vernacular language datasets, and the establishment of ‘guardrails that reflect democratic values.’ He passionately declared, ‘This is our chance to build AI for Bharat, and for the world,’ highlighting India’s potential to lead in ethical and inclusive AI development.
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The Oxford India Forum, a student-led initiative housed within the University of Oxford, serves as a critical platform for discussing India’s global role. The 2025 edition, marking its second year, brought together a diverse group of business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, and students to engage in serious dialogue about India’s demographic dividend, cultural wealth, and technological capabilities in the 21st century.
