Reliance's $15B AI Gamble: Transforming India's Tech Landscape

In October 2025, Reliance Industries, India's largest conglomerate, is orchestrating its most ambitious pivot yet – from petroleum to processing power. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani is steering the company towards a $15 billion bet on artificial intelligence, aiming to transform Reliance into a deep-tech powerhouse that could be valued at $30 billion.

The AI-focused strategy accelerated last month when Reliance incorporated a joint venture with Meta, giving the tech giant a 30% stake. The partners have committed an initial ₹855 crore to develop and distribute enterprise AI services, signaling Ambani's serious intent to make AI a core part of Reliance's future.

Reliance's AI ambitions extend beyond partnerships. The company is building its own AI products and solutions to compete with global tech giants like Meta and Google. Reliance Intelligence, a dedicated AI vertical, is spearheading this effort, while the company's telecom arm, Jio, will serve as a customer for these AI capabilities.

To support its AI push, Reliance is investing $12-15 billion to develop a 1-gigawatt AI-ready data center, with plans to underwrite 25% of the capacity itself. The company aims to leverage its clean energy infrastructure to power these data centers, creating a captive market for its renewable energy business.

Reliance's bold AI pivot represents the conglomerate's fourth major transformation, following its success in petrochemicals, retail, and telecom. Whether the market assigns a $30 billion valuation to Reliance's AI vertical will depend on the company's execution, competitive positioning, and investor appetite for infrastructure plays in the crowded AI landscape.