Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems

Building AI for real-world systems. Former Kochi Police Commissioner. How incentives shape technology adoption in India.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

We’ve been trying to deploy AI in hospitals.
The biggest bottleneck isn’t doctors.
It isn’t regulation.
It’s legacy IT vendors.
They control the data.
And they don’t want anyone else touching it.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

@ptrmadurai @the_hindu I agree that not all welfare is “freebies.”

In fact, even direct handouts can be justified—if they reach the right people.

But the real question is design.

The best welfare schemes align incentives—
where what is good for the individual is also good for society.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

Curious how others see this—
is unemployment today more structural or policy-driven?

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

What if India’s unemployment problem is being misdiagnosed?

We keep treating it as policy failure.
But part of it may be structural.
And that changes the solutions completely.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

@kaushikcbasu Important point. But part of this may be structural, not just policy.

Growth itself is becoming less job-intensive—and in places like Kerala, even available jobs may not be taken.

Expanded thoughts below 👇

https://t.co/8SxBUjkcb3

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

What if India���s unemployment problem is being misdiagnosed?

We keep treating it as policy failure.
But part of it may be structural.
And that changes the solutions completely.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

So the challenge is deeper:

We cannot artificially create low-productivity, labor-intensive jobs in a globally competitive world.

And in many regions, even if we do—people won’t take them.

Real question:
How do we create enough desirable jobs in a high-productivity economy?

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

Take Kerala:

Youth unemployment ~30%
~30% of youth prefer to remain unemployed rather than take lower-quality jobs
~65% of youth want to work abroad

This is not just job scarcity—
👉 it’s also about job acceptance.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

7/ By all means, plan for an ageing population.

But that should be a social and policy response—not the core economic strategy.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

1/ The idea of Kerala as a “retirement haven” sounds appealing. But does it work in practice? A few thoughts 👇

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

6/ The priority has to remain clear:

We need innovation, high-productivity businesses, and opportunities that match the aspirations of our youth.

Otherwise, outmigration will only accelerate.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

5/ Strategy matters.

A handful of retirement communities cannot anchor an economy. Kerala cannot afford to build its future around ageing.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

4/ Market depth is thin. Even core real estate goes through deep cycles.

Niche segments like retirement housing are far more vulnerable. During my time in real estate, I’ve seen projects struggle—even in Kochi.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

3/ Affordability is a bigger issue than we admit.

Retirement communities are expensive. Most families cannot justify the cost. And many elders simply don’t want to leave familiar surroundings, even for better facilities.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

2/ Culture is a real constraint. Kerala is deeply rooted and distinct.

Elderly outsiders are unlikely to relocate in large numbers. That means the market is largely limited to Keralites—not a deep enough base to build an industry.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

@ShashiTharoor @IndianExpress “Retirement haven” sounds elegant. But who is the customer—and who is the builder?

Kerala doesn’t yet have the depth of demand to make retirement housing a viable asset class.

Kerala’s future still depends on youth, innovation, and high-productivity jobs—not managed decline.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

The real question isn’t just about managing finances.

It’s about changing the model.

From redistribution → to creation

Should policy now focus on building
high-growth, innovation-driven businesses?

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

Kerala’s finances have a structural problem.

Revenue: ₹1.25 lakh crore
Salaries + pensions + interest: ~₹1 lakh crore
Welfare pensions: ~₹12,000 crore

There’s very little left for everything else.

Yet this barely features in election debates.

Why?

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

Kerala’s fiscal problem and job problem are linked.

Not enough high-productivity businesses → limited revenue growth

Not enough good jobs → migration of talent

Without an innovation ecosystem,
both problems reinforce each other.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

So what happens in Kerala?

Running the government → Borrowing
Building infrastructure → Borrowing

That’s the difference:

Others spend revenue.
Kerala spends debt.

[Vinod Thomas | AI & Systems @vinodthomas4]

Now compare:

Tamil Nadu
~78–80% of revenue goes to committed + welfare

Karnataka
~68–70%

They still have fiscal space.

Kerala doesn’t.