From fetch to future: How AI is redefining computing and industry

Not long ago, computers fetched stored files, ran pre-programmed tasks, or pulled reports from enterprise databases. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang describes this as "retrieval-based computing." If knowledge existed, machines could fetch it - otherwise, they could do nothing.

Today, we have moved into an era of generative computing. Generative AI systems don't just retrieve - they create. They generate new tokens, content, code, designs, or even decisions "right there on the spot." This is a seismic leap in computing.

The shift requires new hardware, new software, and above all, new thinking. Yesterday's computers were rule-based calculators. Today's AI is a creative assistant, capable of producing knowledge that never existed before. This evolution is already reshaping industries.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: ERP Systems and Enterprise IT

In the early 2000s, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems promised to unify corporate functions into one central nervous system. Giants like SAP and Oracle became essential for Fortune 500 companies. Despite infamous failures like Hershey's ERP go-live debacle, ERP systems eventually became indispensable for efficiency and decision-making.

But success came at a cost: fragmentation. Companies layered niche systems on top of ERPs - customer relationship management tools, supply chain software, data historians, and 3D asset management systems. The result: data silos. An engineer trying to track a single pump in an oil refinery might chase information across five different applications. Efficiency gains often collapsed under this complexity.

Rise of Industrial Data Platforms: Making Data Make Sense

Enter industrial data platforms - today's "integration layer" for the AI age. If ERPs integrated processes, these platforms integrate data. Players like Cognite and dDriven harmonize fragmented data into a single context-rich layer.

Think of them as the Rosetta Stone of industry. A refinery engineer asking about Pump #123 no longer needs to open five systems. The data platform integrates procurement, sensor readings, maintenance logs, and 3D models into one interface. This context fuels predictive maintenance, digital twins, and natural-language queries for both humans and AI. In the AI era, such platforms are foundational - without them, enterprises risk falling back into "fetching" inefficiencies.

The Sci-Fi Factory Floor: Dark Factories and Robot Colleagues

Automation is no longer confined to repetitive assembly. We are entering the era of "dark factories" - lights-out plants running without humans. Tesla, BMW, and Hyundai are experimenting with humanoid robots. China is racing ahead, installing nearly 300,000 industrial robots in a single year.

For manufacturers, the economic incentives are immense: 24/7 productivity, lower costs, and reduced workplace risks. Foxconn has already automated tens of thousands of roles. But for policymakers, the social costs loom large. If robots displace blue-collar workers at scale, entire communities could face unemployment. The question is not whether automation will happen, but how societies will adapt.

White-Collar Automation: Will AI Take Your Office Job?

The disruption isn't limited to factories. Generative AI is reshaping white-collar jobs too. Tools like ChatGPT draft emails, write code, and even generate legal contracts. Goldman Sachs estimates that nearly 300 million jobs worldwide could be affected. Many companies are already letting AI fill the gaps. Customer service, legal research, and even junior software development are being transformed.

Optimists argue AI is an augmentation tool, not a replacement. Radiologists, for instance, use AI to spot abnormalities but rely on human judgment for treatment. Yet, the scale of transformation is undeniable. By 2030, nearly 30% of white-collar jobs may look radically different. The challenge for India - and the world - is reskilling workers fast enough to meet this change.

Geopolitical Shake-Up: When AI Eats Comparative Advantage

Historically, nations prospered by exploiting comparative advantages - China with cheap labour in manufacturing, India with IT outsourcing. AI threatens to nullify that model. If automation makes labour costs irrelevant, production could "reshore" back to the West. A fully automated factory in Germany may outcompete a semi-manual plant in Vietnam.

For India, this is both a threat and an opportunity. The IT services engine that powered growth for two decades could be disrupted. At the same time, India can pivot towards building its own AI solutions and global cybersecurity capabilities. Nations that fail to adapt risk economic irrelevance, much as countries that missed the industrial revolution were left behind.

AI Superiority and National Security

AI is not just an economic force - it's a strategic one. In warfare, AI-driven drone swarms or autonomous tanks could render traditional military hardware obsolete. Countries leading in AI could dominate industries and capture disproportionate shares of global growth. The U.S. and China are locked in an AI arms race, with Europe trailing and India struggling to catch up.

History shows how technological advantages reshape civilizations - from cannons breaching Constantinople to nuclear bombs ending WWII. AI may be the next decisive factor in shaping global order. For India, investing in AI and quantum research is not optional - it's existential.

The Indian Context: Challenge and Opportunity

India's digital journey offers hope. We have built a thriving IT services ecosystem. We also boast one of the world's youngest workforces. But the challenges are real. Our AI investments pale in comparison to the U.S. and China.

That said, India is uniquely positioned to become a global AI talent hub. With the right policies, we can channel our demographic dividend into building AI expertise. Initiatives like the National AI Mission are steps in the right direction, but not enough. If executed well, India could leapfrog into the top tier of AI nations.

A Call to Action: Preparing for the Future

The road ahead is clear but urgent. India must:

• Partner with large Indian corporates and invest in AI R&D at scale - matching global peers - to develop its own LLM, AGI technologies.
• Strengthen cybersecurity and data governance frameworks.

AI is not a passing trend. It is the game-changing technology of our era, reshaping work, geopolitics, and society. India cannot afford to be a bystander. With vision and execution, we can turn disruption into opportunity - and ensure our place at the forefront of the AI-powered future.