AI, semiconductors and quantum computing will shape future of this century: Devendra Fadnavis

Artificial Intelligence, semiconductors and quantum computing will define the century ahead, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday, urging the education system to embrace the new technologies and create employable, cutting edge human resources.

Fadnavis was addressing a gathering at the inauguration of the AI Centre of Competency powered by NVIDIA at Ramdeobaba University in Nagpur.

“AI, semi-con and quantum computing are going to shape the future of this century,” he stated.

The Maharashtra government encourages educational institutions to look at the job market and the changes happening, Fadnavis said, emphasising the creation of cutting-edge human resources and not just graduates, but employable and meaningful human resources.

Talking about the new technologies, he said that looking back at all industrial revolutions, there has been a huge time lag between the first three revolutions.

The first industrial revolution started in 1740, the second in 1860 and the third in 1950, he noted.

“But look at the scenario today, we started talking about Industry 4.0 around 2010, it started to peak at 2016-17, and today, when we are in 2026, we are talking about the industrial revolution, which is around AI, deep tech, frontier technologies and the world has started talking about the sixth revolution now,” he said.

“The speed at which the technology is changing, and the way we conduct our business is changing, I think it is the right time that our educational system embraces all the new technologies,” Fadnavis said.

The chief minister further said that AI will change every walk of life.

He cited his conversation with a big tech expert on AI, who told him that in the next 1,000 days, the nature of 75 per cent jobs in the market will change. It does not mean that jobs will go, but their nature will change because of the advancement of AI, he added.

Fadnavis emphasised that the educational systems must adopt and transform their entire way of imparting education, “looking at the way we and the world are changing”.

Along with other sectors, agriculture can also benefit from AI-related technologies, he pointed out.

The Maharashtra government’s ‘Mahavistar’ App initiative, an AI-powered app dedicated to agriculture, answers farm-related queries of cultivators in their own language, the CM informed.

He praised Ramdeobaba University for embracing new ideas and imparting them to students.