AI and digital must free human capacity, not replace it: Annapurna Vishwanathan, Airbus

Digital transformation is often framed as a race to adopt cloud platforms, AI models, or automation tools. But according to Annapurna Vishwanathan, Vice President and Head of Information Management and Digital, Airbus India and South Asia, real transformation begins much earlier, and much deeper.

“True innovation starts with psychological safety,” she says. “People in a team need to feel safe to innovate.”

Yet, Vishwanathan is quick to add that safety alone does not guarantee innovation. “Psychological safety by itself cannot deliver outcomes,” she notes. “You have to put in operational mechanisms so that innovation happens systemically.”

At Airbus, this dual approach, culture backed by structure, plays out in very deliberate ways. Recognising that teams span multiple generations and working styles, the organisation designs innovation to be both energetic and disciplined. “For the younger crowd, innovation needs energy,” she explains. “Give them a problem, ask them to come ...