Beyond the SIM: Inside Jio and Airtel’s high-stakes AI pivot

For years, the battle between Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel played out over tariffs, subscribers, and the race to build India’s 3G, 4G and 5G networks. The next phase is moving into a much larger arena. Both companies are building businesses around the infrastructure and services that could shape how India uses AI.

Jio and Airtel already have something many technology companies would struggle to build from scratch, that is, millions of customers and extensive digital infrastructure. Their current investments suggest an attempt to use that reach to move deeper into the AI economy.