That is where the TOI AI Quotient Awards 2026 takes a different approach. The platform recognizes enterprises, startups, and individuals using AI across industries and business functions, with 30 awards spread across four tracks. Artificial intelligence is often discussed through the lens of futuristic technology: smarter machines, faster systems, and tools that can generate content or analyze huge amounts of data in seconds. Instead of looking only at who is experimenting with the latest AI tools, the awards focus on organizations and leaders that are turning AI from an idea or pilot project into something that creates measurable results.
But the bigger question for businesses today is much more practical: What is AI actually changing?
The most interesting part of the AI Quotient Awards is the shift from AI adoption to AI impact. One organization may use it to improve customer service, another to make faster decisions, while a third may use it to improve manufacturing or reduce operational costs. The awards reflect this wider picture. Their categories cover areas such as BFSI, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, media, travel, real estate, and commerce. There are also categories for customer experience, marketing, operations, decision intelligence, product innovation, risk and compliance, and HR and talent. This makes the conversation around AI less about flashy technology and more about what happens after the technology enters the workplace. A particularly interesting track is the maturity-based category. It includes awards such as AI Native Enterprise, AI Transformer of the Year, AI Challenger Brand, AI Disruptor for Startups, and Legacy to AI Transformation. These categories recognise that companies can be at very different stages of their AI journey. There is another angle that makes this year’s awards especially relevant: the focus is not only on machines but also on the people making decisions about them. The jury brings together technology leaders, academics, policymakers, investors, and industry specialists. Among those listed are Harish S. Mehta, co-founder and first chairman of NASSCOM; Neeraj K. Gupta, former secretary of the Ministry of Finance’s DIPAM; Amit Khanna, partner and lead – digital & AI at Grant Thornton Bharat; and Ankit Bose, head of NASSCOM AI. Their backgrounds span technology, public policy, finance, startups, digital transformation, and AI. The awards also include special categories such as Responsible AI, AI for Social Impact, and Women in AI Leadership. This suggests that the AI conversation is moving beyond speed and efficiency to include questions of responsibility, inclusion, and the wider impact of technology. That shift may become increasingly important as AI becomes part of everyday business decisions. The organisations that stand out may not necessarily be those using the most AI, but those that understand where AI should be used, where human judgment is still essential, and how technology can create meaningful value.
Businesses today may have access to the same technology, but simply using AI does not automatically mean a company is transforming.
Nominations for the TOI AI Quotient Awards 2026 are open. The TOI AI Quotient Awards therefore offer a useful snapshot of India’s changing AI landscape. They bring startups, established companies, and technology leaders into the same conversation while recognising very different ways of applying artificial intelligence. The bigger message is simple: AI’s future will not be measured only by what machines can do. It will be measured by what people and organisations choose to do with that power. Submit your nomination here: https://toievents.indiatimes.com/ai-quotient-awards Looking for trusted parenting advice? Follow TOI Parenting Circle on Instagram for expert guidance, relatable stories, and practical tips delivered every day.