The internet user base in India is all set to surpass 900 million this year, according to the "Internet in India Report 2024," jointly compiled by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kantar, a marketing data and analytics company. This explosion in user base is owing to the increasing use of Indic languages for digital content. The report shows that the active internet users in India reached 886 million in 2024, marking a robust eight per cent year-on-year growth. This phenomenal growth is led by rural India that comprises 488 million users, accounting for 55 per cent of the total internet users. The growth spurt in internet users in India is owing to the growing use of Indic languages in shaping internet consumption. According to the report, nearly 98 per cent of the users accessed content in Indic languages, with Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam emerging as the most popular languages. More than half of the 57 per cent of urban internet users prefer consuming content in regional languages, highlighting the growing demand for regional content across platforms. “AI has emerged as a significant game changer over the past year. Nine out of ten internet users have interacted with apps featuring embedded AI capabilities. The benefits of AI are no longer confined to a small segment of internet users but extend across the entire user spectrum,” said Biswapriya Bhattacharya, director B2B and technology, Kantar Insights, South Asia. According to Bhattacharya, the widespread acceptance and enthusiasm surrounding AI should encourage digital companies to introduce more next-generation AI features in India. “At the same time, it is crucial for these companies to ensure their solutions are both accurate and ethical.” The latest report also highlights the narrowing digital gender gap in India, with 47 per cent of all internet users in the country being women; this is so far the highest. In rural India, 58 per cent of users form a significant portion of shared device users, which is again a substantial progress in making digital access more inclusive. The report also shows how India is leading in the adoption of non-traditional devices such as smart TVs and smart speakers that registered a growth of 54 per cent between 2023 and 2024.
