AI will be the great equaliser only if India gets four things right: Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman

In a recent interview with YourStory Founder and CEO Shradha Sharma, Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman spoke about the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for India. Suzman noted that AI has the potential to either narrow or widen the gap between rich and poor, and the choices made in the next two years will determine which outcome occurs. The Gates Foundation has committed $1 billion over two years to develop AI tools for health, education, and agriculture in local languages.

During his visit to India in late August 2026, Suzman highlighted several positive examples of AI being used effectively in the country. For instance, Eka Care, a healthcare technology partner, has developed a system that allows community health workers to upload and track data on pregnant women, enabling more efficient triage and support. Another example is Wadhwani AI, which has created an AI app that can diagnose tuberculosis based on the sound of a cough.

Suzman emphasized that India must focus on four key aspects of its AI strategy to ensure the technology does not widen inequality. These include making AI accessible and usable in every local language, designing apps to cater to local contexts, building a workforce trained in local AI applications, and maintaining strong data protection and governance measures.

The CEO also noted that AI has the potential to enhance livelihood opportunities, particularly in healthcare, education, and agriculture, but that India must prioritize training students to navigate the new AI landscape.