Why innovation matters in today’s AI world

In today’s fast-changing AI age, innovation is no longer a luxury-it is survival. For students, it is the compass that guides them beyond traditional learning into problem-solving and creativity-driven careers.

For corporates, it is the oxygen that fuels competitiveness, sustainability, and relevance in markets that are disrupted overnight. And for society at large, innovation is the bridge between human aspirations and technological possibilities, shaping the way we live, work, and connect.

Unlike flashes of genius that are rare and fleeting, true innovation thrives on principles-structured thinking, disciplined experimentation, and purposeful action. These principles are the real miracle cures of our era, replicable and teachable, ensuring that the next generation and every institution can harness creativity not as an accident, but as a lifeline.

History reminds us that brilliant ideas alone are never enough. Leonardo da Vinci sketched flying machines, submarines, and mechanical marvels centuries before their time, but without the technology or societal readiness of the 1500s, his genius remained only on paper. Even Robert Boyle, often credited with envisioning the combustion engine, failed to make it functional because his design relied on gunpowder-rendering it impractical.

It was not until innovators like Thomas Newcomen and James Watt combined systematic experimentation with advancing knowledge that the steam engine was born, igniting the industrial revolution. Their work underscores a timeless truth: innovation is not the product of sudden flashes of brilliance, but of disciplined, purposeful progress where science, society, and need align.

In today’s AI-driven 21st century, this principle carries even greater weight for India. With its young workforce - over 65% of the population below 35 years-India has the unique advantage of becoming the global hub of innovation-led jobs.

According to NASSCOM, India’s AI and emerging tech sector alone is projected to create 20 million new jobs by 2030, spanning healthcare, fintech, agriculture, education, and manufacturing. Systematic innovation can empower students to build careers in fields that don’t exist today, while corporates can unlock global competitiveness by embedding innovation practices into their DNA.

For society, structured innovation translates into solutions for pressing challenges-smart farming, renewable energy, affordable healthcare-creating not only economic growth but also inclusive progress. In short, for India, innovation is not just transformation; it is a lifeline for jobs, entrepreneurship, and national growth in the AI age.

The Do’s of Innovation

1. Start with opportunity mapping

Purposeful and systematic innovation always begins with a clear-eyed analysis of opportunities. Different situations call for different sources-demographics may shape social innovations, while new scientific knowledge may unlock industrial breakthroughs. Innovators must regularly and methodically scan these sources, treating innovation not as a stroke of luck but as a disciplined search for untapped potential.

2. Listen, observe, and perceive

Innovation is both conceptual and perceptual. Successful innovators balance analysis with empathy-studying data while also understanding people’s behaviours, values, and aspirations. An idea that ignores human receptivity risks failure, no matter how brilliant it seems on paper. True innovation reflects what people want to adopt, not just what technology can offer.

3. Keep it simple, keep it focused

The most powerful innovations are elegantly simple and sharply focused. They solve one problem, address one need, and deliver one clear outcome. Complexity kills adoption, while simplicity builds trust. The highest praise an innovation can earn is: “This is so obvious-why didn’t I think of it?”

4. Begin small, scale smartly

Ground-breaking ideas rarely succeed when launched with grandeur. Effective innovations begin small, require modest resources, and serve a focused market. Starting small allows room for adjustments, corrections, and refinements-because the first version is almost never perfect. History shows that humble beginnings often pave the way for global revolutions.

5. Aim for leadership, not just survival

Every successful innovation must aspire to leadership within its domain. This doesn’t always mean becoming a giant enterprise, but it does mean owning a distinctive space-whether it’s dominating a sector or carving out a niche. Without the ambition to lead, innovations risk becoming stepping stones for competitors rather than milestones of progress.

The don’ts of innovation

1. Don’t be too clever-keep it human-centric

Globally, we’ve seen how over-engineered ideas collapse when they forget the end user. An innovation must be designed for ordinary people, not just experts. If it is too complex to understand or operate, adoption fails. India’s Aadhaar, for example, succeeded because it was simple and user-friendly, despite being the world’s largest digital identity system.

2. Don’t dilute focus-stay rooted in the core

The temptation to diversify too quickly has sunk many innovations. Globally, we’ve seen companies like Nokia lose their edge by spreading too thin instead of deepening focus. In India, startups that stray away from their core markets-say, edtech firms trying to jump into unrelated retail ventures—often burn resources without creating value.

3. Don’t innovate only for a distant future-solve today’s problems

The most successful innovations are anchored in the present, even if they shape the future. Thomas Edison understood this when he developed the light bulb at a time when electricity was ready to be harnessed. In today’s global context, technologies like AI, renewable energy, and biotech are impactful because they address immediate needs-automation, climate change, and healthcare. For India, this principle is even more critical: innovations must tackle today’s pressing challenges such as clean water, sustainable farming, affordable healthcare, and skilling the workforce. While future potential matters, innovations that improve lives now-like UPI revolutionising digital payments or low-cost vaccines saving millions-become true game changers.

Three conditions for innovation

1. Innovation is hard work

Innovation is not magic-it is hard, focused work. It requires knowledge, creativity, persistence, and commitment. While some people may be naturally more talented than others, talent alone is not enough. Edison, for example, stayed within the electrical field and worked tirelessly. Innovators usually succeed in areas they know well, and without dedication and discipline, no amount of genius will help.

2. Build on your strengths

The best innovators focus on opportunities that match their own strengths or the strengths of their company. They ask: Does this idea fit us? Can we deliver on it? Success is more likely when innovation aligns with skills, knowledge, and temperament. For example, pharmaceutical companies thrive in medicines but fail in cosmetics because it doesn’t fit their values or expertise.

3. Innovation must be market-driven

At its core, innovation is about change in society and economy-how people live, work, and consume. Therefore, innovation must always be close to the market and focused on customer needs. Whether it is farmers, teachers, or doctors, the change has to make sense to the end users. An innovation without a real, present market often stays just an “idea” and never becomes useful.

The conservative innovator

There is a popular myth that innovators are big risk-takers-like bold heroes in movies. In reality, successful innovators are the opposite. They try to reduce risk as much as possible. They carefully study opportunities, define risks, and then act in a focused way. One entrepreneur put it well: “If I wanted to take risks, I’d have gone into real estate or commodity trading. Instead, I build opportunities step by step.” Innovation is risky, yes-but so is doing nothing. In fact, refusing to innovate is often more dangerous because it leaves you stuck in yesterday’s world. Real innovators are not gamblers. They are practical, careful, and opportunity-focused.

(The writer is a Post-Doctoral Fellow & Research Scholar (Media Studies) Institute of Management & Commerce, Srinivas University, Mangalore)