Mumbai, May 2 (KNN) Adobe Systems’ CEO Shantanu Narayen has emphasised that creativity, rather than software code, will be the primary driver of India’s economic future.
The India-born executive made these remarks during his address at the WAVES 2025 event, highlighting the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in enhancing human creativity.
During his speech, Narayen announced an ambitious initiative to provide free access to Adobe’s tools, which aims to train over 20 million Indians and 500,000 teachers in digital creativity through partnerships.
This commitment comes at a significant juncture, as India’s IT sector, valued at over USD 250 billion, has been a substantial contributor to the country’s economic growth in recent years.
Narayen articulated how AI will serve as a catalyst for creativity and production by augmenting human imagination and offering innovative tools, perspectives, and possibilities that enable people to explore ideas in unprecedented ways.
“Given the size and breadth of the creative opportunity that AI unlocks, it’s fair to say that India’s next growth as an economy will not be in software code but in creativity,” he stated.
The Adobe CEO further suggested that training AI models on Indian cultural, linguistic, and historical data presents an opportunity to create “new forms of digital sovereignty.”
He emphasised that models serve as the foundation for differentiation and competitive advantage in the evolving digital landscape.
Discussing India’s global positioning, Narayen noted that the country’s access to build teams globally and develop competitive products using large language models (LLMs), AI agents, and low-code tools will enable its vast outsourcing industry to evolve and create new AI-driven workflows.
He expressed confidence that India has the opportunity to demonstrate global leadership in ethical AI implementation.
Narayen highlighted the remarkable growth in India’s creative sector, noting that there are currently over 100 million content creators in the country, with a 10 percent year-on-year increase in freelance creators and small design studios over the past decade.
In conjunction with his address, Adobe announced a strategic partnership with Tata Consultancy Services, India’s largest IT services company, to launch an AI-powered Creative Experience Studio (ACES) specifically designed for the Indian market.
This initiative will focus on serving businesses and public sector enterprises, further underscoring Adobe’s commitment to advancing digital creativity in India.
(KNN Bureau)
