India is in the midst of a rapid digital transformation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly seen as a powerful tool to make knowledge more accessible, especially for women navigating restrictive social structures. Last February, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology hosted the India AI Impact Summit, where technology and social progress converged around a central theme: ‘Empowering women through AI’. Among the speakers was Kartik Shah, composer, music producer, and co-founder of Maati Baani, who is a strong advocate for the use of AI in both creative work and society. “What AI is going to do is make knowledge accessible and that’s where everything begins.”
India’s emerging economy is leading globally in AI adoption and trust. According to the Digital Well-being Hub, countries such as India, Brazil, Mexico, and South Africa show the highest levels of AI usage and participation in AI training. The India AI Impact Summit was therefore the largest of the four global summits on artificial intelligence. In an article by The Times of India, Sam Altman noted that India now has over 100 million weekly active ChatGPT users, with particularly high usage among students. Kartik’s contribution at the summit highlighted that AI is not just a technological revolution, but also a cultural and social movement. For the event, he presented a fully AI-generated music video called ”Vishwa Vibhavari” that explores access to knowledge and the societal barriers faced by women in India. The action-packed video showcases four demons (Rakshasas) which prevent women from gaining knowledge and how the four protagonist women overcome them. “Many women simply don’t have access to knowledge not because it isn’t there, but because social norms restrict them”, says Kartik. Beyond aesthetics, AI also plays a role in storytelling. Together with his wife Nirali, who is also a Hindustani classical vocalist, Kartik developed a lullaby called ‘Laadli’ for their daughter. Laadli was specially created by them because they want to give their daughter a powerful female representation. Kartik explains, unlike traditional themes centered on women, this song mentioned women in the armed forces and their significance to the nation. The lullaby is supported by AI-generated animation that visually enhances the narrative. This was played in the backdrop of Nirali’s Hindustani Classical concert ‘Kahat Nayaka’ where she sang the song at the NMCC, Mumbai, giving a unique experience to the audience who attended her concert. In doing so, Kartik demonstrates how AI can be used to introduce new perspectives from an early age and empower women through storytelling.
Technology as a creative partner
In his own work, Kartik actively experiments with AI, particularly in the production of music and video. Where traditional productions often rely on large teams and long timelines, he uses AI to bring ideas to life more quickly and independently. “AI has drastically reduced the time between idea and execution. What used to take months can now be done in weeks.”
While many musicians and experts view AI as a threat, Kartik sees it as a tool. Since 2012, he and his wife Nirali Kartik have collaborated with artists around the world, working with over 200 musicians remotely. For Kartik, AI acts as a creative extension, enabling the creation of visual worlds that would otherwise be difficult to produce. Kartik leaves the music composition and production part to himself, while he uses AI to expedite tedious tasks and to build marketing assets to communicate the music release. Despite concerns about authenticity, Kartik remains confident in the role of the artist. “AI is not a shortcut. You have to be very specific about what you want. My prompting mentions the clothing, lighting, the face of the character, surroundings, the mood, the color science and all the intricate details that make up an interesting scene and can sometimes be a page long”, Kartik explains.
The India AI Impact Summit underscores that AI in India is not only a technological development, but also a social instrument. For Kartik, the future lies in the intersection of technology and human creativity. By combining AI with art and music, he believes new ways of addressing societal issues can emerge, and ultimately drive meaningful change.