Internet users to surpass 900 million in India this year
Internet users to surpass 900 million in India this yearIANS

With digital revolution in India number of internet users projected to surpass 900 million by 2025. This growth is primarily driven by the increasing use of Indic languages for digital content, according to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kantar. The report revealed that the number of active internet users in India reached 886 million in 2024, marking an 8% year-on-year growth. Rural India, with 488 million users, leads this growth and now accounts for 55% of the total internet population.

The report also highlighted the growing demand for local language content across platforms. Nearly all internet users (98%) accessed content in Indic languages, with Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam emerging as the most popular due to their extensive availability. Over half (57%) of urban internet users prefer consuming content in regional languages, underscoring the growing demand for local language content across platforms.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game changer over the past year. Nine out of 10 internet users have interacted with apps featuring embedded AI capabilities. The widespread acceptance and enthusiasm surrounding AI should encourage digital companies to introduce more next-generation AI features in India, said Biswapriya Bhattacharya, Director, B2B and Technology, Kantar Insights–South Asia.

The digital gender gap in India is steadily narrowing, with 47% of all internet users in the country being women -- so far the highest. Female internet users now form a significant portion of shared device users in rural India at 58%. This marks substantial progress in making digital access more inclusive and equitable over the years, the report noted.

Artificial intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game changer over the past yearIAN

Rural India dominates online engagement for top activities, including OTT video and music streaming, online communication, and social media usage, outpacing urban users in these categories. Urban India leads in the adoption of non-traditional devices such as smart TVs and smart speakers, which have grown by 54% between 2023 and 2024. Concurrently, mobile devices remain the primary means of accessing the internet across both urban and rural demographics.

The retail landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, largely propelled by technological advancements. The global pandemic and the ascent of eCommerce have only intensified the influence of technology. Retailers have leveraged technology innovations to enhance efficiency while remaining steadfast in their commitment to customer centricity. The result? Total experiences that delight both customers and employees.

The future of retail is poised to ride the technology wave, further bridging the physical and digital realms. Retailers are looking beyond mere product sales on shelves, aspiring to build comprehensive ecosystems that encompass services spanning health, finance, entertainment, and more capitalizing on digitization and technology's ability to offer enhanced accessibility to consumers. In this era of technological transformation, barriers between industries are blurring, enabling retailers and other operators to seize opportunities rapidly by engaging directly with consumers.

The ability of Generative AI to work with Large Language Models applying in-context learning to learn from analogy and generate responses based on enhanced understanding of context, improved reasoning, inference skills, and tailored problem-solving capabilities has come out as a potent force for businesses.