AI, The Anthropocene, and Our Mental Health: Balancing acceleration with reflection

by Dr. Subodh Agarwal, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan

Last week, I had the privilege of joining the World AI Summit 2025 (25–26 Sept, Sheraton Grand, Bengaluru) organised by Elets Technomedia as a keynote speaker and panelist. The theme—“AI for All: Powering India’s Inclusive and Responsible AI Future” —could not be more timely.

Technology is advancing at exponential speed. Take 30 steps linearly, and you might cross a room. Take 30 steps exponentially, and you’ve gone beyond the moon. That is the pace at which AI is reshaping our world.

At the same time, we live in the Anthropocene- an era where the earth itself is pushing back. Earthquakes, unseasonal rains, wildfires, melting glaciers—reminders of the imbalance we’ve created.

Between these two forces—the speed of AI and the earth’s response—stands the human mind. And here lies our greatest silent challenge: mental health. The pressure to adapt, the uncertainty of change, and the weight of global crises are converging on individuals and communities.

As we move forward, the real question is not only how we build smarter systems, but also how we stay human. Balance between acceleration and reflection, innovation and sustainability, progress and care will define our collective resilience.

If AI is to be truly inclusive and responsible, it must be built with awareness of not just data and algorithms, but of the fragile, resilient, and deeply human minds navigating this change.