‘Affordable AI for every Indian’: Mukesh Ambani unveils Reliance blueprint to transform Indian economy, society

Artificial intelligence is the most consequential technological advance in human history, Reliance Industries Limited chairman Mukesh Ambani said while unveiling a draft of the company’s artificial intelligence (AI) manifesto, outlining an ambitious plan to transform Reliance into an AI-native, deep-tech enterprise.

In a detailed message to employees, Ambani said the vision goes beyond aspiration and is formalised in a “Sankalp” (resolve) to fundamentally reshape how the company works, builds and delivers value. The goal, he said, is a tenfold improvement in the quality and outcomes of work for more than 6,00,000 employees, alongside a similar tenfold impact on India’s economy and society.

“The world has so far seen only a fraction of AI’s potential,” Ambani said, adding that alongside other breakthrough technologies, AI has the power—if used wisely—to solve some of humanity’s most complex challenges.

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Here is what the manifesto says: Not a tech project, but a shift in how work is done

The draft manifesto makes clear that Reliance’s AI push is “not a technology project” but a fundamental change in how work happens across the organisation. The transformation is anchored in a simple four-part operating framework: outcomes, workflows, platforms and governance.

Ambani said Reliance aims to become an “AI-native deep-tech company with advanced manufacturing capabilities,” building on its role in India’s digital transformation. “Affordable AI for every Indian, to transform every aspect of the economy and life in India,” he said, describing this as the group’s core resolve.

The manifesto, which Ambani has invited employees to critique and enrich, is divided into two parts: internal transformation at Reliance, and the company’s role in enabling India’s broader AI journey.

Reimagining work inside Reliance

In the first part, Reliance outlines plans to redesign how work is done across the organisation using AI and agentic systems. The focus is on removing friction, reducing repetitive manual tasks, improving decision-making and raising standards—while remaining safe, compliant and trusted.

Work will be organised around clearly defined outcomes such as customer experience, safety, speed, quality, cost, compliance and growth. These outcomes, Ambani said, will be consistently measured, monitored and made visible.

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End-to-end workflows—from procurement and supply chains to hiring and manufacturing—will be redesigned to embed AI, eliminate “digital breaks”, enable real-time visibility and allow continuous improvement.

Platform design across businesses will follow a common 12-layer digital blueprint, with data as the foundational layer and AI as the acceleration layer. Governance, the manifesto stresses, will be built in by design through digital policies, audit trails and clear human accountability.

Pods, flywheels and faster learning

To drive continuous improvement, Reliance has outlined five weekly “flywheels”: real-time data, real-time operations, real-time governance, learning and knowledge, and AI-driven automation with human oversight.

Work will increasingly be organised through small, cross-functional “pods”, each with a single objective and one accountable leader. Pods will move from experimentation to scaling and then stable operations, allowing teams to learn quickly without compromising reliability.

Innovation will be managed through the H2H1H0 model—experimenting (H2), scaling measurable impact (H1) and stabilising operations (H0).

AI-native Reliance for an AI-transformed India

The second part of the manifesto looks beyond Reliance’s internal transformation to its role in shaping India’s AI future. Ambani has invited ideas on how the group’s businesses—from Jio’s 500-million-plus subscriber base and Reliance Retail’s nationwide footprint to its energy, life sciences, financial services, media and entertainment arms—can expand AI access and impact.

He highlighted opportunities in green energy, advanced materials, healthcare breakthroughs, AI-driven financial inclusion, indigenous media platforms, robotics, AI hardware and technology self-reliance.

Ambani also underscored the role of the Reliance Foundation, asking how AI could further strengthen its work in healthcare, education, rural transformation, disaster mitigation, culture and conservation, guided by the group’s “We Care” philosophy and the development of “caring AI systems”.

Employees have been invited to submit ideas between January 10 and January 26, after which the manifesto will be finalised.

“This manifesto will be our shared commitment… to build a New Reliance and a New India of our dreams,” Ambani said.

(Disclosure: Firstpost is part of the Network18 Group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.)