Reliance lays out draft AI manifesto, signals shift to AI-native operating model

Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani has unveiled a draft artificial intelligence manifesto for the group, positioning AI as central to both Reliance’s internal transformation and its role in shaping India’s broader technology future.

Calling artificial intelligence “the most consequential technological development in human history,” Ambani said the world has so far “seen only the tip of the iceberg of its possibilities,” even as its early impact has already reshaped industries.

“The world has so far seen only the tip of the iceberg of its possibilities, but is already in awe of it. Along with other breakthrough technologies, AI has the power which, if wisely used, can solve many of the most complex problems facing humankind,” Ambani said in a message addressed to employees.

The draft manifesto, released internally and reported by Moneycontrol, has been opened up for employee feedback between 10 January and 26 January, after which it will be finalized.

The document is structured in two parts: one focused on redesigning how work is done within Reliance using AI, and the other on leveraging the group’s scale to advance India’s AI transformation.

Turning Reliance into an AI-native company

At the core of the document is Ambani’s ambition to remake Reliance into what he described as an “AI-native deep-tech company with advanced manufacturing capabilities,” building on the group’s earlier role in India’s digital expansion.

“Affordable AI for every Indian, to transform every aspect of the economy and life in India,” Ambani said, describing this as Reliance’s core resolve.

Part I of the manifesto outlines a redesign of internal operations around AI and agentic systems, with the stated goal of reducing friction, eliminating repetitive manual work, improving decision-making, and raising performance standards across the group, while remaining “safe, compliant and trusted.”

Reliance proposes organizing work around four operating pillars: outcomes, workflows, platforms, and governance. Workstreams would be defined by outcomes such as customer experience, safety, speed, quality, cost, compliance, and growth.

“We define outcomes clearly, measure and monitor them consistently, and make progress visible,” Ambani said.

The group plans to rework end-to-end workflows across procurement, supply chains, hiring, manufacturing, and other functions, embedding AI to remove what the manifesto describes as “digital breaks,” enable real-time visibility, and allow processes to improve continuously.

Platform development would follow a common 12-layer digital functional core blueprint across businesses, with data positioned as the foundational layer and AI as the acceleration layer.

Governance, a recurring theme in the document, is described as being embedded by design, with digital policies, audit trails, and clear human accountability intended to ensure that speed does not come at the cost of trust or integrity.

To drive execution, the manifesto outlines five weekly “flywheels”: real-time data, real-time operations, real-time governance, learning and knowledge, and AI-driven automation with human oversight.

Work would increasingly be organized through small, cross-functional “pods,” each assigned a single objective and a clearly accountable leader. These pods would move from experimentation to scale and then stable operations, allowing for faster learning without undermining reliability.

Using scale to shape India’s AI adoption

Part II of the manifesto broadens the lens beyond Reliance’s internal transformation to its potential role in India’s AI journey.

Ambani invited employees to propose ways in which Reliance’s businesses, spanning Jio’s more than 500 million subscribers, Reliance Retail’s nationwide footprint, and the group’s energy, life sciences, financial services, media, and entertainment operations, could be mobilized to expand AI access and impact.

He pointed to opportunities in green energy, advanced materials, healthcare, AI-driven financial inclusion, indigenous media platforms, robotics, AI hardware, and technology self-reliance, while also highlighting the role of AI in improving efficiency and reducing resource consumption across businesses.

Ambani also emphasized the role of Reliance Foundation, asking how AI could strengthen its work in healthcare, education, rural transformation, disaster mitigation, culture, and conservation, while reflecting the group’s “We Care” philosophy through what he described as the development of “caring AI systems.”

A strategic signal, not a product launch

While the manifesto does not announce specific investments, products, or timelines, its release is a clear strategic signal. It frames AI not as a standalone business vertical but as an operating layer that cuts across Reliance’s conglomerate structure, from energy and manufacturing to retail, telecom, and philanthropy.

By inviting employees to critique and enrich the document before finalization, Reliance is also signaling an attempt to institutionalize AI adoption internally, rather than impose it purely through top-down directives.

“This manifesto will be our shared commitment… to build a New Reliance and a New India of our dreams,” Ambani said, urging employees to begin the journey together.

The final version of the AI manifesto is expected to be released after the employee consultation window closes later this month.