From policies to AI: How businesses and governments can deliver at scale

Mohit Joshi and Kaan Terzioglu discussed the importance of long-term thinking, ethical practices, and digital solutions in building credibility with customers, governments, and societies.

Mohit Joshi, CEO and Managing Director, Tech Mahindra and Kaan Terzioglu, CEO, VEON, while speaking to India Today, at the World Governments Summit, discussed how trust, technology, and government policies are shaping business and public services in today’s global economy. They highlighted the importance of long-term thinking, ethical practices, and digital solutions in building credibility with customers, governments, and societies.

Joshi emphasised that in a global, multi-product business, trust is the central determinant of success. “Anytime you're running a global business, customers, societies, employees, and governments need to trust that you will be predictable and display a high degree of integrity,” he said.

He explained that trust is earned over time through predictability, integrity, and robust systems, but it can be lost quickly if not managed carefully.

Terzioglu highlighted the role of governments in enabling growth through clear policies rather than direct intervention. “Policies that enable the private sector and the economy to develop are critical,” he said.

He cited an example from Chengdu, China, where a municipal AI data centre supports hospitals, schools, and households with healthcare diagnostics at higher accuracy and lower costs. This, he said, shows how well-defined policies combined with private sector execution can scale essential services effectively.

On the issue of data privacy, Joshi suggested models where individuals own their data and can share it transactionally with governments or companies. “Defining an optimal model where an individual can store and share data securely is probably the most effective,” he said.