We are entering an era where creators are companies, ideas are capital: Shantanu Narayen

Creativity—not just code—will fuel the country’s next phase of growth, said Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen during an address at WAVES Summit 2025 on Thursday.

Talking about the future of India’s digital economy, Narayen said, “India’s next unicorns won’t be applications—they’ll be creators.”

With over 100 million content creators in India and a decade-long 10% rise in freelance creative talent, Narayen noted a structural shift in value creation. “Technology no longer ends with apps. It begins with imagination,” he said. Tools like Adobe’s Firefly, Premiere Pro, and Substance are equipping individuals—not just enterprises—with the power to ideate, produce, and distribute content at global standards.

Narayen’s statement wasn’t just a celebration of creators, but a bold assertion that India’s digital transformation is entering a new chapter. He cited how generative AI is enabling creators to transcend traditional boundaries by assisting in ideation, design, and hyper-personalized storytelling across formats and languages. With the rising consumption of regional and short-form video content, creators—especially from smaller cities—now have the tools and audience to scale ideas into enterprises.

“Whether it’s a YouTuber in Indore or a gaming designer in Kochi, India’s new economic assets are individuals who can command attention and monetize creativity globally,” Narayen emphasized.

This evolution is aided by India's unique position across the AI value chain: rich local datasets for training, a fast-growing mobile-first user base, and a culture of jugaad-driven innovation. Narayen stressed that with the right policy support, India could lead in building domain-specific LLMs, AI agents, and creator-first platforms.

But with power comes responsibility. Narayen underscored the need for ethical AI—one that protects intellectual property and ensures attribution. 

He also advocated for mass AI literacy and creator-focused entrepreneurship programs to ensure this revolution is inclusive. “AI should be the co-pilot, not the creator,” he said.

Highlighting India's unique position in building AI-powered frameworks—from applications to data infrastructure—Narayen outlined a four-fold strategy: supercharge creativity and production, innovate business models, lead an AI-skilled workforce, and foster entrepreneurship. He concluded by thanking the government of India and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for creating a visionary platform through WAVES.

The WAVES Summit, according to Narayen, is not just a conference—it’s a turning point. “We are entering an era where creators are companies, and ideas are capital. India is ready. The world is watching.”