Narayana Murthy slams tech companies for branding ordinary software as AI

Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy has raised concerns over how the term “artificial intelligence” (AI) is being casually used by tech firms in India. Speaking at the TiE Con Mumbai 2025, Murthy expressed disappointment over the tendency of companies to brand basic software programs as AI. “I think somehow it has become a fashion in India to talk of AI for everything. I have seen several normal, ordinary programs touted as AI,” he remarked.

Murthy detailed the essential principles of AI, with a specific emphasis on machine learning and deep learning. He clarified that machine learning relies on identifying correlations in extensive data sets, assisting systems in making predictions. “That’s basic machine learning,” he stated, characterizing it as involving supervised algorithms that need substantial amounts of input data.

Nonetheless, Murthy emphasized that deep learning is a more sophisticated part of AI. He clarified that deep learning resembles the human brain, enabling systems to manage unsupervised algorithms, which don’t need pre-fed information. Murthy further elaborated that the strength of deep learning is in its capacity to operate with unsupervised data and neural networks, making it significantly better at imitating human behavior. He likewise conveyed his irritation regarding the present misapplication of the term AI.

Infosys has been consistently creating AI tools, specifically concentrating on small language models (SLM). These models are developed with a mix of open-source elements and the organization’s exclusive data.

In a frank and stimulating conversation, Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy sparked a national dialogue by proposing that India’s youth ought to be ready to work 70 hours each week to enhance the country’s work culture and compete successfully on the world stage. In the first episode of 3one4 Capital’s podcast ‘The Record,’ Murthy emphasized the need to enhance India’s work productivity urgently. He contended that if the youth of India do not dedicate more hours to work, the nation will find it difficult to keep pace with economies that have made significant advancements in recent decades.