Shantanu Narayen backs creativity as India’s next big economic engine

The Adobe boss also announced collaboration with the Indian government to develop content credentials and AI rights frameworks aimed at safeguarding originality and promoting transparency in the evolving landscape of generative AI content creation

Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen has shared a bold vision for India’s creative future, asserting that AI-driven creativity could generate more employment opportunities than India’s manufacturing sector. Speaking at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre, Narayen stated that India’s next economic boom will stem not from traditional software development but from its burgeoning creative industries, supercharged by AI.

The summit, which gathered influential figures from the entertainment sector, aims to boost the potential of India’s media and entertainment industry, which achieved a revenue of Rs 2.5 lakh crore in 2024. In his keynote speech, Narayen stressed that AI is unlocking new creative possibilities across various industries, including media, design, and entertainment. “Bharat ka agla boom (India's next boom) in economy will not be in software but in creativity,” he emphasized, highlighting the role of AI in transforming industries.

Narayen outlined Adobe’s contributions to the creative sector, noting the company’s decades-long involvement in empowering creators through software for magazine design and video production. He pointed out that AI is now driving an even more exciting era of creativity. “India’s creative industry can employ more people than the manufacturing industry,” he added, stressing the vast potential of AI in revolutionizing content creation.

Adobe backs India’s creative vision

The Adobe CEO also expressed the company’s support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of making India the global hub for creativity. As part of this initiative, Adobe is partnering with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to invest in skilling initiatives that will reach two crore students and five lakh teachers across India. Adobe has partnered with organizations like the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT), Pratham, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and Jio to implement these programs.

To further highlight India’s creative potential on the global stage, Adobe will collaborate with WAVES to launch the Creator Challenge, an initiative aimed at providing Indian creators the opportunity to showcase their work to international audiences.

Protecting IP and AI rights

Narayen also addressed intellectual property concerns, revealing that Adobe is working alongside the Indian government to establish a content credentials framework and an AI rights framework. These measures are designed to protect the originality of AI-generated content and ensure transparency in this new era of generative AI.

During the summit, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also shared updates on the development of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT), an initiative aimed at training young creators in media and entertainment. The IICT, expected to function similarly to India’s prestigious IITs and IIMs, has been allocated Rs 400 crore by the central government, with land provided by the Maharashtra government.