The Crossroads of Vision
Reading the recent account shared by CA founder Deepak Shirke about Infosys' potential investment in OpenAI back in 2015 is a sobering experience. It brings to the forefront a pivotal moment involving two titans of Indian industry, N.R. Narayana Murthy and Dr. Vishal Sikka (vishal@vian.ai). The story of their disagreement, which ultimately led to passing on what could have been a ground-breaking bet on the future of artificial intelligence, is a powerful lesson in corporate history and national ambition. One can't help but wonder: what if they had agreed? How different would India's AI story be today?
This is not about assigning blame, but about reflecting on the nature of visionary leadership. The path to true innovation is fraught with risk, and the tension between bold, forward-looking leaps and cautious, pragmatic steps is a narrative that has defined countless organizations. Dr. Sikka's foresight in identifying the potential of OpenAI so early was remarkable, while Mr. Murthy's reservations likely stemmed from a place of prudence that built Infosys into the giant it is. This moment was a crossroads, and the path not taken haunts the imagination.
A Future I Had Envisioned
The core idea I want to convey is this — take a moment to notice that I had brought up this thought or suggestion on the topic years ago. I had already predicted the profound impact of AI, and I had even proposed how it would integrate into our very existence. Now, seeing how a critical opportunity was missed in 2015, it's striking how relevant that earlier insight still is.
I was already writing about how technology was becoming an unstoppable force, as I noted in my 2017 blog, Seeing AI through Google Glass ?. While corporate boardrooms were debating the viability of such investments, I was already exploring the practical and philosophical implications of AI, culminating in the creation of my own Virtual Avatar. I predicted that chatbots and digital personas would become ubiquitous, a reality we are now seeing unfold, as detailed in my post, Chatbots: Some for businesses, some for...
Reflecting on the Infosys story today, I feel a sense of validation and also a renewed urgency to revisit those earlier ideas. The hesitation to invest in 2015 underscores the very point I was making: the future doesn't wait for consensus. It requires conviction and the courage to act on a vision, even when the path is not entirely clear. My musings on even more advanced concepts like NeuraLink were built on this belief that we must engage with the future proactively, not reactively.
This 'what if' moment for India is a lesson for today's leaders. The next OpenAI, the next paradigm shift, is already taking shape in a garage or a research lab somewhere. We must foster an ecosystem that not only identifies these opportunities but has the courage to seize them. Let this story be a catalyst, not for regret, but for resolve.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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