From cameras to cars, India’s chip startups chase an edge in AI

INDIA EYES AN AI CHIP OPENING

India’s semiconductor market is expected to triple from US$64 billion in 2026 to US$200 billion by 2035, with consumer electronics, automobiles and industrial applications accounting for 61 per cent of demand. 

AI systems increasingly need to process data locally for faster responses rather than rely on distant data centres, experts said. 

A car, for instance, needs to react immediately to an obstacle, while a factory camera may need to spot defects in real time.

G S Madhusudan, CEO of InCore Semiconductors, a company that develops processor technology for chip designers, said this kind of local intelligence is spreading across products ranging from cars and cameras to televisions and industrial equipment.

Such chips can continue working when internet connectivity fails, keep sensitive data on-site and reduce cloud costs, Atomo’s Parmar said.

For a factory safety camera, unreliable internet could delay critical alerts, while processing images locally allows it to keep working regardless of connectivity, he said. 

India’s cost-sensitive market and varying internet connectivity make those benefits particularly relevant, he added.