ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026: India's biggest AI opportunity may not be in its biggest cities

For years, India's digital economy has followed a familiar pattern. New products launched in major cities. Early adoption happened among digitally fluent users. Once the model proved successful, businesses began thinking about expansion.

That playbook is beginning to change.

The next phase of growth is not simply about reaching more people. It is about reaching people with different languages, different levels of digital confidence and entirely different expectations from technology. For many businesses, that is proving to be a much harder challenge than building the product itself.

India's next growth story looks different

India's digital economy is becoming more diverse, not more uniform.

A retailer in Jaipur, a farmer in Nashik, a small manufacturer in Coimbatore and a first-time entrepreneur in Guwahati may all use digital products, but they do so in very different ways. Language preferences vary. Connectivity varies. Business processes vary. Even the way people search, transact and seek support can be entirely different. This is pushing companies to rethink how they design AI products.

The conversation is moving beyond sophisticated features and towards practical usability. Can the product work in multiple Indian languages? Can it simplify tasks for someone using digital tools for the first time? Can it create value without assuming high-end infrastructure or technical expertise? These questions are shaping a different kind of AI innovation in India.

Inclusion is becoming a business strategy

Building for Bharat is often mistaken for a social initiative. Increasingly, it is becoming a commercial opportunity. Businesses that expand beyond familiar customer segments gain access to entirely new markets. They discover different use cases, different buying behaviours and different growth opportunities. The challenge is building AI software solutions that are flexible enough to serve this diversity without creating entirely separate products for every market.

Some of the most successful AI business solutions are already proving that accessibility and scale can grow together. Whether through multilingual experiences, simplified interfaces or products designed for underserved sectors, the focus is shifting towards widening participation rather than serving the same audience more efficiently.

Recognising AI innovation built for India

The AI in Bharat & Inclusive Innovation category at the ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026 recognises AI products designed for India's diverse realities. From regional language solutions and accessible digital experiences to AI applications addressing underserved communities and emerging markets, the category celebrates products creating measurable impact where the next phase of growth is already taking shape.

Because India's next AI success story may not begin in another metro. It may begin where the market has only just started paying attention.

If your AI product is expanding access, solving real-world challenges and creating impact across Bharat, nominations for the ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026 are open.

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