AI tools have made it easier for businesses to analyze documents, generate content, and automate tasks. But how much do companies know about where the data they enter into these tools goes?

At TechSparks 2026, Akash Saxenaa, CEO of Brilyant, discussed why businesses should consider moving routine AI workloads from the cloud to local devices. He argued that on-device AI can help organizations manage costs, protect data, and reduce their dependence on internet connectivity.

The economics of AI are changing. While the cost of individual tokens may be falling, Saxenaa pointed out that inference costs could rise as businesses deploy more AI agents and consume more tokens. Citing Gartner, he referred to predictions that inference costs could increase more than fivefold.

Cost is only one concern. When employees use cloud-based AI tools, sensitive business information may leave the organization’s own environment. This raises questions about data privacy, intellectual property protection, and compliance with data protection requirements.

Saxenaa cited India's Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act as another reason for businesses to review their AI infrastructure.

“If you look at 83% of Indian enterprises, they have not yet begun comprehensive DPDP implementations, or they are not even aware. What is the cost? Rs 250 crore. Now, if you are a large company, 5,000 employees, that’s a budget line. But if you are an SMB, that's a company,” he said.

For smaller businesses, in particular, the financial consequences of non-compliance could be significant.

Saxenaa’s recommendation is to bring the model to the data rather than take the data to the model.

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