Microsoft’s $17B  Bet on India

The AI Digital Divide

What It Takes to Bring AI to the Global South

 Digital Sovereignty Explained

A Diplomatic Fix

Brad Smith’s 3-Part Sovereignty Framework

Regulating AI Fast: India’s Privacy Model 

AI Harms & Responsibility

India’s AI Playbook

Can a $17 billion bet prevent India from repeating the Global South's century-long technology lag? In this episode of The Morning Brief, host Surabhi Agarwal speaks with Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith about the company's AI-ambitious vision for India as a "land of digital opportunity." The conversation explores Microsoft's infrastructure and skilling investments, the challenge of bridging the digital divide that mirrors historical electricity gaps between North and South, and how digital sovereignty tensions shape multinational strategy. From navigating India's thoughtful privacy regulations to addressing AI's impact on job dynamics through productivity enhancement, Smith examines whether equitable AI adoption can succeed where past technologies failed. As India's vast developer community positions it uniquely at the intersection of AI infrastructure, platforms, and applications, the episode questions whether collaborative frameworks between nations like India and the US can balance open markets with security—or if digital sovereignty will fragment the very ecosystem needed for India's transformation.

You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: X and Linkedin

You can follow Surabhi Agarwal on her Linkedin, X profiles and read her Newspaper Articles. 

Check out other interesting episodes like: How Will a Volatile ₹ Impact You in 2026?, How Quick Commerce is Triggering a Health Crisis for Gen Z, India’s Labour Law Reboot, Viral to Valuation: Building Women’s Cricket as a Brand and much more.

Catch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief’ on The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Youtube.

Can a $17 billion bet prevent India from repeating the Global South's century-long technology lag? In this episode of The Morning Brief, host Surabhi Agarwal speaks with Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith about the company's AI-ambitious vision for India as a "land of digital opportunity." The conversation explores Microsoft's infrastructure and skilling investments, the challenge of bridging the digital divide that mirrors historical electricity gaps between North and South, and how digital sovereignty tensions shape multinational strategy. From navigating India's thoughtful privacy regulations to addressing AI's impact on job dynamics through productivity enhancement, Smith examines whether equitable AI adoption can succeed where past technologies failed. As India's vast developer community positions it uniquely at the intersection of AI infrastructure, platforms, and applications, the episode questions whether collaborative frameworks between nations like India and the US can balance open markets with security&mdash;or if digital sovereignty will fragment the very ecosystem needed for India's transformation. You can follow Anirban Chowdhury on his social media: <a href="https://twitter.com/AnirbanET">X</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirban-chowdhury-b5067219/">Linkedin</a> You can follow Surabhi Agarwal on her <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/surabhi-agarwal-5255b62/">Linkedin</a>, <a href="https://x.com/surabhia_et?lang=en">X</a> profiles and read her <a href="https://m.economictimes.com/etreporter/author-surabhi-agarwal-479241991.cms">Newspaper Articles.&nbsp;</a>
Check out other interesting episodes like: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000742733036">How Will a Volatile ₹ Impact You in 2026?</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000740924439">How Quick Commerce is Triggering a Health Crisis for Gen Z</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000738734300">India&rsquo;s Labour Law Reboot</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777?i=1000738205536">Viral to Valuation: Building Women&rsquo;s Cricket as a Brand</a> and <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777">much more</a>. Catch the latest episode of &lsquo;The Morning Brief&rsquo; on <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/podcast?from=mdr">The Economic Times Online</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6PL5kfPbwURBEu6fHCVTOL?si=26ec0fbfa7134fea"> Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-morning-brief/id1568661777">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://www.jiosaavn.com/shows/the-morning-brief/1/GNPiFQD2xpY_">JioSaavn</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/f378141f-9afb-495d-83da-9b08ec5047ac/the-morning-brief">Amazon Music</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@theetpodcasts">Youtube</a>.

To make sense of the week’s hottest stories in business, economy, politics and markets, journalists from the Economic Times chat with reporters and industry leaders in this thrice-weekly (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) podcast.