Jio Wants to Make AI Tokens Cheaper – The Next Big Disruption After Cheap Data
The Indian tech ecosystem may be heading toward another major disruption. At Mobile World Congress 2026, Mathew Oommen, President of Reliance Jio and CEO of Jio Platforms, hinted that the company’s next mission is to make AI tokens as affordable as mobile data.
If this happens, it could change the future of artificial intelligence access in India, just like Jio transformed the telecom industry in 2016.
The Next Big Disruption: Affordable AI Tokens
When Reliance Jio launched low-cost mobile data years ago, it triggered a digital revolution across India. Millions of people came online for the first time.
Now the company is targeting another frontier — AI computing power.
At Mobile World Congress 2026, Mathew Oommen said that AI tokens could become the new digital resource, similar to how mobile data became essential in the internet era.
What Are AI Tokens?
AI tokens represent units of computing used by artificial intelligence models.
Every time someone uses an AI system for:
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Text generation
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Image creation
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Data analysis
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Voice assistants
tokens are consumed.
Today, these tokens are relatively expensive because AI infrastructure requires powerful GPUs, data centers, and energy.
But Jio Platforms believes mass-scale infrastructure can bring those costs down dramatically.
Why Jio Wants to Reduce AI Costs
India is expected to become one of the largest AI user bases in the world.
However, most advanced AI services today are controlled by global tech giants such as:
These platforms operate primarily through cloud-based AI infrastructure, which often makes access expensive for startups and developers in emerging markets.
By reducing the cost of AI tokens, Jio Platforms wants to:
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Democratize AI access
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Support Indian startups
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Build a domestic AI ecosystem
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Reduce dependency on foreign AI services
This strategy aligns with India's broader AI and digital sovereignty ambitions.
The “Jio Model” for AI Infrastructure
The telecom revolution created by Reliance Jio followed a simple formula:
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Massive infrastructure investment
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Ultra-low pricing
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Rapid user adoption
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Market disruption
Now Jio Platforms wants to replicate the same playbook in the AI industry.
Key Areas Jio Is Focusing On
1. AI Data Centers
Building large-scale computing infrastructure inside India to process AI workloads efficiently.
2. Edge AI Networks
Using telecom networks to bring AI computing closer to users, reducing latency and cost.
3. AI Developer Platforms
Providing tools for developers to build AI applications at lower costs.
4. Token-Based Pricing Models
Charging for AI usage through tokens, but at significantly cheaper rates.
Why This Could Be Huge for Indian Startups
If AI tokens become cheaper, thousands of Indian startups could gain access to powerful AI tools.
Currently, many startups struggle with high cloud AI costs when using platforms like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure.
Lower AI costs could enable startups to build products in areas like:
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AI chatbots
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automated customer support
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financial analytics tools
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healthcare diagnostics
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AI-powered education platforms
This could spark a new wave of innovation in India’s tech sector.
India’s Opportunity in the Global AI Race
Globally, countries are competing to dominate the AI industry.
The biggest players currently include:
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United States
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China
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United Kingdom
But India has a unique advantage — scale.
With more than 1.4 billion people, affordable AI could lead to the largest AI user base in the world.
If Reliance Industries successfully deploys low-cost AI infrastructure, India could emerge as a global AI innovation hub.
Potential Challenges Ahead
While the vision is ambitious, several challenges remain.
Infrastructure Costs
Building AI infrastructure requires billions of dollars in investment for:
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GPUs
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Data centers
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Power consumption
Competition
Global tech giants like NVIDIA, Google, and Microsoft already dominate AI infrastructure.
Regulatory Environment
Governments worldwide are still defining AI regulations, which could affect deployment strategies.
What This Means for the Future of AI
If Jio Platforms successfully brings down the cost of AI tokens, the impact could be similar to the cheap data revolution launched by Reliance Jio nearly a decade ago.
That shift transformed India into one of the world’s largest internet markets.
A similar disruption in AI could lead to:
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Mass AI adoption
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Rapid startup growth
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AI-powered digital services
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New business models across industries
In short, AI could become as accessible as mobile data.
Final Thoughts
The announcement at Mobile World Congress 2026 signals that Jio Platforms is preparing for the next technological revolution.
Just as affordable internet transformed the digital economy, cheap AI tokens could transform the intelligence economy.
If Jio executes this vision successfully, the next decade may witness an AI boom led from India.