At the Bharat Inclusion Summit 2.0, Kunal Shah, the founder of Cred, offered a thought-provoking take on the evolving role of AI tools like ChatGPT in India. According to Shah, while AI adoption is expanding, its use is skewing heavily towards “non-productive” purposes such as companionship, counselling, or even astrology—rather than enhancing efficiency or productivity.

“Maybe 50-60% use ChatGPT for non-productive purposes,” Shah said during his session hosted by IIMA Ventures, the startup incubator of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA). This, he emphasized, is not a criticism of users, but rather an observation of the challenges involved in creating truly productivity-enhancing use-cases for AI tools.

Why Are People Using ChatGPT This Way?

Shah explained that instead of leveraging AI to complete tasks faster or improve workflows, many users turn to ChatGPT as a friend or a digital guide—a companion who listens, a counsellor offering support, or even an astrologer predicting life events. While this might seem benign or even helpful, it highlights a major challenge for developers and companies aiming to create impactful AI tools that genuinely improve productivity.

This behaviour, according to Shah, is a reflection of human needs more than a failure of technology. “Tools for productivity are going to be a challenge,” he noted, suggesting that users may find emotional comfort in AI long before they see practical use-cases.

The Broader Implications: AI Adoption May Be Widening, But Not Deepening

What Shah points out is crucial: AI usage may be growing, but its depth and purpose remain shallow in many contexts. Instead of reshaping workflows or streamlining business tasks, AI in India is currently serving more personal or casual needs.

This situation, according to Shah, represents a hurdle in the path of meaningful technological transformation. For technology to become transformative rather than ornamental, users must learn to use it for tasks that genuinely enhance output, efficiency, and decision-making.

The Fintech Angle: Trust as a Foundation

Shah's comments went beyond AI. In his address, he also highlighted the critical importance of trust in the fintech space. Speaking from his experience at Cred, he emphasized that competence, consistency, integrity, and benevolence are the four pillars of consumer trust in the financial world.

"If you're building in fintech, you're in the business of trust."

This, he said, is not merely a philosophy but a guiding principle for product development at Cred.

Business vs Customer: The Ethical Dilemma in Fintech

Shah acknowledged that fintech companies often face trade-offs between business benefits and consumer delight. Many choices that are profitable might not be great for the end-user. However, he stated that Cred follows a different approach.

“We never allow a product to run if we cannot proudly present it to our friends and family.”

This reflects a long-term vision that places trust and ethics above short-term growth or profitability. Shah warned against leaders taking shortcuts or exploiting customers, as that creates a culture of low trust within the organization.

“If the leader is okay with taking advantage of the customer, the rest of the organisation will follow. You will never create a high-trust culture.”

Digital Transformation ≠ Efficiency

Another key point Shah raised was around digital transformation. He warned that just digitising a process doesn't mean it becomes efficient. In fact, efficiency is a cultural shift, not merely a technological one.

He even pointed out a linguistic insight—that many Indian languages don’t have a direct word for “efficiency.” This, he suggested, is symptomatic of deeper cultural gaps that can slow down or complicate the journey toward effective tech adoption.

Empowering the Future: Women, Youth, and Financial Literacy

Shah also turned the conversation towards long-term empowerment, emphasizing three areas where India must focus:

1. Increased financial literacy – So that people understand not just how to use money, but how to manage and grow it.

2. Greater women’s participation in the workforce – Empowering half the population could significantly boost the economy and innovation.

3. Supporting the younger generation – Especially since they are becoming decision-makers in Indian households faster than ever before.

These aren’t just sociological points but essential elements of a more inclusive and resilient digital economy.

So, What Does This Mean for AI and Fintech in India?

Shah’s remarks offer a nuanced reflection of India’s current digital moment. We’re adopting technologies at a rapid pace, but our usage still reveals emotional and cultural dependencies that could delay deeper, more meaningful transformation.

AI tools like ChatGPT have massive potential, but to unlock it, we need to go beyond companionship and into creation, optimization, and empowerment. The same is true for fintech: It must move beyond transactional convenience into the realm of long-term trust and ethical utility.

Until we do that, as Shah subtly suggests, we might keep building clever tools that aren’t really making us more productive—just more comfortable.

Final Thoughts

Kunal Shah’s insights at Bharat Inclusion Summit 2.0 are a wake-up call to developers, leaders, and users alike. Whether you’re working on AI tools, fintech apps, or broader tech platforms, your mission is not just to build—it’s to build better. And better means useful, ethical, trustworthy, and empowering.

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