Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw has been named by TIME Magazine, as one of the most influential people in the field of Technology and Artificial Intelligence. Mr Vaishnaw’s name figures under the “Shapers” category of the list. The Magazine writes, under his leadership, India is hoping to become one of the top five countries for semiconductor manufacturing in the next five years. It adds that construction has begun in several factories for the key component for modern AI systems. TIME Magazine also highlighted that the Indian educational system is catching up to produce the specialised workforce needed for cutting-edge AI and semiconductor development.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said, Mr Vaishnaw’s inclusion in the list has highlighted his pivotal role in spearheading India’s push to emerge as a significant force in the AI landscape.

The list also includes several prominent figures including Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, and Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani for their significant contributions to AI and technology.