NITI Aayog Launches 'AI For Inclusive Societal Development' Report To Empower India's Informal Workforce
Empowering India's informal workers is not just an economic priority, it is a moral imperative, said Skill Development MoS Chaudhary.
In a major push to integrate artificial intelligence into India's growth story, NITI Aayog on Wednesday launched its Frontier Tech Hub study titled 'AI for Inclusive Societal Development,' developed in partnership with Deloitte. The report focuses on how AI and frontier technologies can transform the lives and livelihoods of India's 490 million informal workers, a segment that contributes nearly half of the country's GDP but remains largely outside formal systems of protection and productivity.
The report was launched by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, alongside NITI Aayog Vice Chairperson Suman Bery. Speaking at the launch, Chaudhary said the report offers a roadmap for using AI to drive inclusion and productivity in the informal economy, aligning with India's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
"Empowering India's informal workers is not just an economic priority, it is a moral imperative," he said. "The goal of Digital Skilling in AI aligns perfectly with our national skilling agenda by making learning adaptive, accessible, and demand-driven. By bringing together government, industry, and civil society, this mission will ensure that every worker, whether a farmer, artisan, or healthcare aide, has the tools and opportunities needed to thrive in the digital economy of tomorrow."
The Frontier Tech Hub report stresses that while AI holds immense potential, technology alone cannot dismantle entrenched systemic barriers. Without human intent, targeted investment, and an enabling ecosystem, its promise will remain out of reach for those who need it most.
To address this, NITI Aayog has proposed "Mission Digital ShramSetu," a national mission to make AI accessible, affordable, and impactful for every worker. The mission aims to use AI, blockchain, immersive learning, and frontier technologies to overcome challenges such as financial insecurity, limited market access, and lack of social protection for helping informal workers enhance productivity, opportunity, and dignity in work.
"If we are serious about transforming the lives of India's 490 million informal workers, collaboration is not optional, it is non-negotiable," he said. "This goal demands cross-functional action, from R&D that reduces the cost of frontier technologies, to building a sustainable ecosystem of innovation tailored to the informal sector, to skilling and reskilling at scale," said BVR Subrahmanyam, the CEO of NITI Aayog.
The roadmap also warns that delays will carry a heavy economic cost. At the current pace, the average annual income of informal workers could stagnate around $6,000 by 2047, well below the $14,500 threshold required for India to achieve high-income status.
"For India to achieve its $30 trillion Viksit Bharat 2047 aspiration, we cannot leave behind the 490 million workers who power our economy every day. AI will not transform their lives on its own, it requires us to deliberately build the roadmap and ecosystem that make these technologies accessible and affordable," said Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog and Chief Architect of the Frontier Tech Hub.
