Adobe's mission is to empower everyone to create, says CEO Shantanu Narayen
Speaking to Shraddha Sharma, CEO and Founder of YourStory, on the sidelines of India AI Impact Summit 2026, Shantanu Narayen positioned AI as a technology that removes barriers to expression and creativity.
Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe, struck an optimistic note as he highlighted "India's moment" in the next wave of AI-led transformation.
Speaking to Shraddha Sharma, CEO and Founder of YourStory, on the sidelines of India AI Impact Summit 2026, Narayen said the energy, vision, and policy intent on display at the summit show that India is poised for a defining leap in AI.
He pointed to the government’s clearly articulated AI ambitions and the global attention the country is drawing as evidence of the massive opportunities for India.
“When you have something you wish to accomplish, the entire goal is to make sure you first have a vision, then you create the execution and the people associated with it,” he noted.
According to Narayen, India’s biggest strength lies in its people. He highlighted the skillset, talent, entrepreneurial drive, and creative energy visible across startups, ministries, and the broader tech ecosystem.
Narayen believes AI will revolutionise the ease with which creativity is distributed. He described creativity as a uniquely human force and positioned AI as a technology that removes barriers to expression. Whether through mobile devices, web platforms, video or images, Adobe’s goal is to empower individuals to tell their stories more easily and distribute them globally, he said.
He underscored three priorities for Adobe’s partnerships in India: enabling the creator economy’s global distribution, safeguarding intellectual property, and investing in skilling and access. Responsible AI, including content provenance and watermarking, is central to this effort.
Edited by Swetha Kannan