Build, Buy, Or Rent? How Indian CTOs Are Rethinking The AI Stack

by · Inc42

SUMMARY

  • At the second roundtable held on the sidelines of Inc42’s inaugural CTO Summit 2026, tech leaders discussed what to build, buy, or rent as they scale AI across their businesses.
  • Rapid changes in AI models are pushing companies to distinguish between technology they can source externally and the data, context, and workflows that give them a lasting edge.
  • Participants discussed retaining control of business-critical capabilities, staying flexible on model choices, and linking AI expenditure to contribution margins, product viability, and productivity.