India ranks 14th in AI research, with a 1.4% global share

 India’s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in AI paper presentations was 15.5% from 2014 to 2023, significantly lagging behind other Asian economies like Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea, where growth rates ranged from 20% to 30%. Educators and experts point to systemic issues, mainly inadequate funding and a lack of robust research infrastructure, as key factors contributing to this gap

India lags behind global leaders like the US and China in AI research, ranking 14th globally with only a 1.4% share in paper contributions to top AI conferences from 2018 to 2023, according to a study by AI accelerator and ecosystem builder Change Engine. This puts India well behind the United States and China, which lead the field with 30.4% and 22.8% of global contributions, respectively.

Despite its vast tech talent pool and numerous AI startups, India’s AI paper growth has stagnated, especially compared to the rapid advancements in countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea. While India’s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in AI paper presentations was 15.5% from 2014 to 2023, these other Asian nations saw growth rates between 20% and 30%. 

The report titled ‘India’s State of AI Research: India’s Performance in Top Conferences as compared to the World’, highlights that a lack of funding and insufficient research infrastructure as key reasons for India’s subpar performance. To close the gap, India needs to accelerate its AI research growth by at least 40% annually over the next five years to achieve a 5% global share, which could significantly boost its innovation ecosystem. 

V Ramgopal Rao, vice-chancellor of BITS Pilani stated, “Countries like the US and China have invested heavily in higher education, and large institutes.”

Leading educators emphasize that this challenge is systemic, requiring a coordinated effort to enhance research capabilities and support structures across the country. 

The report underlines the need for strategic investment in AI research to ensure India doesn’t fall further behind in this critical field.

Varun Aggarwal, founder of Change Engine noted, “Capacity in fundamental AI research is as important for India’s long-term leadership, as building AI applications and enabling diffusions.”