AI is the New Industrial Revolution, Says Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Aadhaar Samvaad in Delhi

UIDAI launches new Aadhaar app to enhance digital verification and user privacy

Union Minister for Electronics & IT, Railways, and Information & Broadcasting, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, on Tuesday described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the “new industrial revolution” while urging stakeholders to explore innovative ways to integrate AI with India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The remarks came during the third edition of the ‘Aadhaar Samvaad’ held in the national capital.

Hosted by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the one-day event saw participation from over 750 key stakeholders including senior government officials, policy makers, technocrats, and ecosystem leaders. The conference focused on the themes of Innovation, Inclusion, and Integration and explored how Aadhaar can further enhance governance and service delivery.

Aadhaar: The Core of Digital Public Infrastructure

In his keynote address, Shri Vaishnaw emphasized the pivotal role of Aadhaar in India’s digital transformation journey, calling it the “aadhaar (foundation)” of numerous public initiatives. He stressed the need for inclusive technological adoption while maintaining robust data privacy standards.

“Aadhaar face authentication is a major enabler in improving the ease of living for citizens,” he noted, citing its rapid adoption across sectors.

Key Voices and Insights

MeitY Secretary Shri S. Krishnan highlighted Aadhaar’s contribution to accelerating inclusion and driving economic growth, calling it a sophisticated and privacy-respecting system.

Dr. Saurabh Garg, Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, applauded UIDAI’s expansion efforts and reiterated the power of data for development.

Shri Neelkanth Mishra, Chairman, UIDAI, pointed to the growing relevance of Aadhaar in expanding digital public infrastructure and called the face authentication mechanism “robust and transformative.”

CEO UIDAI Shri Bhuvnesh Kumar emphasized the “humane” side of Aadhaar, revealing its role in reuniting hundreds of missing children with their families.

Launch of New Aadhaar App

A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of a new Aadhaar mobile application. Designed to give users full control over their data, the app allows for secure digital verification and QR code-based data sharing. The app enables Aadhaar holders to share only relevant data while availing services, reducing dependency on physical copies and enhancing privacy.

A key innovation in the app is the integration of Aadhaar Face Authentication, which is seeing over 15 crore transactions per month. Initially launched for early adopters, the app will soon be rolled out to the general public after feedback analysis.

The Road Ahead

UIDAI’s tech centre also showcased demos of its new products, including a development sandbox, encouraging experimentation and secure integration by ecosystem partners. Sessions during the event covered areas such as authentication processes, strengthening enrolment ecosystems, and data privacy frameworks.

The Aadhaar Samvaad series has previously been held in Bengaluru and Mumbai, focusing on digital identity technologies and the FinTech sector, respectively. The Delhi edition concluded with a forward-looking vision to expand Aadhaar’s utility and to drive smarter, inclusive governance through innovation and collaboration.

UIDAI believes the insights and ideas generated at the event will play a critical role in shaping the future of Aadhaar and its integration with India’s fast-evolving digital landscape.