The India AI Impact Summit 2026 session on building AI readiness examined how ecosystems must move from securing peak compute to developing capability for market deployment. Presenters argued that converting access to graphics processing units (GPU) into scalable innovation requires integration of infrastructure, software environments and business strategy tailored to specific AI workloads. The discussion marked a clear shift from focusing on raw processing power to designing pathways that connect technology to customers and use cases.

For startups and developers using the IndiaAI compute platform (IndiaAI), speakers said the challenge is increasingly about deciding what to build and how to optimise and scale solutions sustainably. GPU choice is now linked to memory architecture, interconnect efficiency, cost economics and deployment model, making technical decision making central to readiness. Organisational change emerged as equally important as hardware availability for operationalising models in production.

Dr Panneerselvam M, chief executive of the MeitY Startup Hub, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, said that AI adoption also requires structured change management, especially among small and medium enterprises and legacy family businesses. He argued that these firms face a different adoption cycle and must recognise opportunities while adapting governance and processes. Support measures, he added, should address the ownership patterns of such enterprises to enable practical implementation.

Industry representatives highlighted the need for informed investment decisions, accessible experimentation environments and stronger research foundations to enhance competitiveness. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) outlined support through developer cloud services and free compute hours to lower barriers to testing, together with a total cost of ownership advantage for scaling. The session concluded that as sovereign compute capacity expands, India will need to convert these resources into globally competitive solutions through research depth, startup participation and organisational readiness.