The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into financial forecasting has transformed traditional stock market prediction methods. This research paper explores the effectiveness of AI techniques in forecasting stock trends within the Indian stock market over the last few years. We examine AI methodologies, including machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), and hybrid models applied to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). By comparing historical data with AI-predicted trends, this study evaluates prediction accuracy and market relevance (Patel et al., 2015). Furthermore, the research outlines existing study gaps and proposes a future scope of integrating AI with behavioral finance and real-time analytics (Chen et al., 2022). The prediction of stock market trends remains a significant challenge due to the stochastic and non-linear nature of financial time series data (Zhang & Zhou, 2020). With the proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques, there has been a paradigm shift in the modeling and forecasting of stock price movements (Fischer & Krauss, 2018). This paper presents a comprehensive study on the effectiveness of AI in predicting stock market trends within the Indian financial ecosystem, focusing on a comparative analysis of AI models implemented over the last five years (2018–2023) on major indices and stocks listed on the NSE and BSE. This research evaluates the performance of multiple AI algorithms—including Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forests (RF), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, Gated Recurrent Units (GRU), and hybrid ensemble models—in forecasting short- and medium-term price trends using historical stock data (Krauss et al., 2017; Chen & He, 2021). Standard evaluation metrics such as Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and classification accuracy are employed to assess model efficacy. The results indicate that while traditional machine learning algorithms offer moderate predictive power, advanced deep learning and hybrid models significantly outperform them, particularly during periods of high market volatility, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and post-lockdown recovery phases (Weng et al., 2018; Jain & Jain, 2021). The study identifies key research gaps, including limited sectoral diversification in datasets, inadequate integration of sentiment and behavioral data, overfitting issues in complex models, and the lack of real-time prediction systems in the Indian context (Gupta & Pathak, 2022). Furthermore, current models often ignore nonquantitative factors such as investor sentiment, macroeconomic indicators, and global events, which can critically impact prediction accuracy (Nassirtoussi et al., 2014). These limitations suggest the need for a more holistic and interdisciplinary approach to AI-driven financial forecasting. The scope for future research includes the development of real-time, adaptive AI systems using high-frequency trading data, the incorporation of behavioral finance through social media and news analytics, and the exploration of quantum computing-based AI models (Liu et al., 2023). From a practical standpoint, the findings of this study offer valuable insights for institutional investors, financial analysts, regulatory bodies, and developers of AIpowered trading platforms. The study concludes that while AI is not a definitive solution for market prediction, it provides a powerful augmentative tool that, when designed with robustness, transparency, and adaptability, can significantly enhance decision-making in India’s fastevolving financial markets.
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