In the Age of AI, Let’s Not Forget Ancient Intelligence: Nita Ambani at WAVES Summit

As the world races towards AI, let us not forget Ancient Intelligence—a world where data is dharma and intelligence is not just artificial but deeply rooted in wisdom, said Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of the Reliance Foundation at the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai.

Speaking about India’s cultural depth, she called the summit a powerful reminder of “who we are and who we will be.” Long before the internet was born, the influence of Indian civilisation had already reached across continents. “In Japan and Indonesia, Hindu deities are worshipped even today. Indian philosophy has shaped the thinking of great minds across the world,” she added, describing India as a timeless civilisation that gifted humanity concepts like ahimsa and ekta.

“Here in India, modern does not fight with ancient—it coexists. And our ability to embrace transition sets us apart,” she said.

Ambani was speaking at the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, held in Mumbai from May 1 to May 4, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of the creative economy in driving India’s GDP.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting hosted the inaugural WAVES Summit with the goal of bringing together industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to discuss opportunities and challenges, promote trade in India, and shape the future of the audiovisual entertainment sector.

The summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi, saw the presence of several notable personalities including Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Richard G. Kerris (Vice President, NVIDIA), Gautam Anand (Vice President, YouTube APAC), among others.

This initiative aligns with the government’s increasing focus on the creator economy. During his address, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that the "orange economy"—another term for the creative economy—will be driven by creators, and platforms like WAVES will play a crucial role in strengthening this movement.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw also announced key initiatives at the summit. India will set up its first Indian Institute of Creative Technology in Mumbai, with Rs 400 crore allocated for the project. Global tech firms including Nvidia and Google have partnered in this initiative, while the Maharashtra government has provided the land for the institute.

Adding to the momentum, in March, the government also announced a $1 billion fund to boost India’s creator economy. According to influencer marketing platform Kofluence, India is home to an estimated 2.5–3.5 million content creators across various platforms and niches—from fashion to technology—who are shaping trends and consumer behaviour. The influencer marketing sector in India is projected to reach $3.5 billion by 2028, signaling significant growth potential.