In a significant stride towards integrating emerging technologies into public sector decision-making, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, organized an AI Literacy Workshop on 19th June 2025 in New Delhi. The event served as a dynamic platform for deliberation on the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in official statistics, policy formulation, and data governance.
The workshop convened a diverse gathering of stakeholders, including voluntary organisations such as Wadhwani AI, representatives from multilateral institutions like the World Bank, and senior officers from MoSPI. The collaborative nature of the event highlighted the government’s commitment to leveraging cross-sectoral expertise for public good.
The workshop commenced with a welcome address by Shri Rohit Bhardwaj, Deputy Director General, Data Informatics and Innovation Division, MoSPI. This was followed by context-setting remarks from Shri R. Rajesh, Additional Director General, who emphasized the need to strengthen digital and data literacy in the public sector to support India’s vision of data-driven development.
Delivering the keynote address, Shri P.R. Meshram, Director General (Data Governance), emphasized that the aim of adopting AI is not to replace human effort or existing systems, but to augment analytical capabilities and enhance decision-making. “AI is an enabling tool — not a substitute,” he asserted, while elaborating on its responsible deployment in public systems.
A key highlight of the workshop was the in-depth presentation by Wadhwani AI, which shared their hands-on experience in designing and applying AI use cases in real-world scenarios. They introduced their AI readiness matrix, outlined the technical and organizational hurdles in moving from pilot projects to full-scale deployment, and offered strategic solutions to address these challenges—providing a clear roadmap for scaling AI in public initiatives.
Adding further depth to the discussions, Shri Vivek Sharma, Senior AI Specialist from the World Bank’s South Asia Region, delivered an insightful address. He showcased key AI-driven innovations by the World Bank, detailing the underlying technologies and their transformative impact on service delivery and data ecosystems across developing nations.
MoSPI’s proactive approach to innovation was further demonstrated by an in-house machine learning presentation. Developed under a collaborative initiative with researchers, the model focused on predicting Monthly Per Capita Expenditure (MPCE) — a critical socioeconomic indicator — using advanced AI techniques. The model showcased how data science can be applied to enhance the precision and timeliness of official statistics.
The workshop concluded with an interactive open discussion, where participants exchanged perspectives on adoption challenges, ethical concerns, and domain-specific AI applications in statistics and governance. The dialogue affirmed the importance of continued capacity building and ecosystem development for successful AI integration.
This AI Literacy Workshop reaffirmed MoSPI’s vision to harness frontier technologies like AI to build a more smart, responsive, and inclusive governance system. It also marks another step forward in India’s journey towards a data-empowered Viksit Bharat @2047, where evidence-based policymaking and innovation go hand-in-hand.
