‘India helping shape what comes next in AI’: Global tech leaders converge on New Delhi for AI Impact Summit 2026
India is set to take centre stage in the global artificial intelligence landscape as world leaders, technology executives and policymakers gather in the national capital for the AI Impact Summit 2026, being held from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam.
The week-long summit, hosted by the Government of India, aims to shape a future-oriented agenda for inclusive, responsible and impactful AI. Positioned as the first major global AI summit in the Global South, it highlights India’s growing influence in global AI governance and its focus on real-world deployment of AI for measurable public impact.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the summit, which brings together delegates from over 20 countries, including heads of state, ministers, industry leaders, startup founders, researchers and civil society representatives.
Sam Altman: India a “Full-Stack AI Leader”
Ahead of the summit, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, described India as a potential “full-stack AI leader” and announced plans to expand the company’s footprint in the country.
Altman revealed that India has become OpenAI’s second-largest user base globally, after the United States, with over 100 million weekly active users. He noted that India has the largest number of students using ChatGPT worldwide and ranks fourth in adoption of Prism, OpenAI’s free tool for scientific research and LaTeX-based collaboration.
“OpenAI is committed to doing its part to help build AI in India, with India, and for India. We’ve made our tools available for free so they’re accessible to Indians regardless of their income, education, or familiarity with technology,” Altman said in an opinion piece in a leading Indian daily.
He added that the company recently brought together more than 200 nonprofit leaders across four Indian cities to train them in using ChatGPT to expand their organisational capacity. OpenAI opened its first office in Delhi last August and plans further expansion this year.
Altman also announced that he will be in India next week and that OpenAI will soon unveil new partnerships with the Government of India to widen access to AI across the country.
Outlining a three-pronged approach – Access, Adoption and Agency – Altman stressed that AI tools must be widely available, integrated into schools, clinics and small businesses, and supported by AI literacy to empower users in high-level decision-making.
“When these three align, more people can participate not just as users of AI, but as builders and beneficiaries of the growth it enables,” he said.
He cautioned against a “capability overhang,” where access to AI exists but effective usage remains limited, calling for large-scale AI literacy and stronger computing and energy infrastructure. “AI will help define India’s future, and India will help define AI’s future. And it will do so in a way only a democracy can,” Altman added.
Bill Gates: Pride in India’s Scientific Progress
Echoing similar sentiments, Bill Gates said it was a matter of immense pride that global leaders are converging in India for the summit.
In a post on X, Gates said: “It is a matter of immense pride for us that people from all over the world are coming to India for the India AI Impact Summit. This also shows the capability of our country’s youth. This occasion is further proof that our country is progressing rapidly in the field of science and technology and is making an important contribution to global development.”
‘India Isn’t Just Participating – It’s Shaping What’s Next’
Global technology leaders have expressed strong optimism about India’s role in defining the next chapter of AI.
Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, said India is not merely part of the global AI conversation but is actively shaping its future. He emphasised that the next phase of AI growth will depend on democratising access through efficient data centres, powerful on-device intelligence and advanced connectivity such as 6G. For India, he noted, edge AI holds particular promise in sectors like agriculture, healthcare and education.
Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture, described the summit as timely, especially as the Global South assumes a larger role in shaping AI’s trajectory. She stressed that bold leadership, collaboration and large-scale AI skilling will be essential to ensure the technology benefits everyone.
From Amazon, Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer David Zapolsky highlighted the company’s long-term investments in India and said AI’s true success would be measured by lives improved, inequalities reduced and opportunities created. He underscored the importance of government-industry collaboration in scaling AI responsibly.
Giordano Albertazzi, CEO of Vertiv, pointed to India’s rapid AI adoption and infrastructure expansion as setting a global example. He said discussions at the summit would focus on energy efficiency, scalable ecosystems and infrastructure needed to power the next wave of AI growth.
AI for Economic Development and Social Good
A core pillar of the summit is leveraging AI for inclusive economic growth and social development.
Shantanu Narayen, Chairman and CEO of Adobe, said India has consistently demonstrated what ambition and imagination can achieve. He praised the government’s leadership in convening the first global AI summit in the Global South and reaffirmed Adobe’s commitment to commercially safe and responsible AI innovation.
Raj Koneru, Founder and CEO of Kore.ai, described AI as a transformational force that will fundamentally change how humans live and work. With its digital infrastructure, talent base and supportive policy environment, he said, India is positioned to deliver AI solutions to the world.
Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla noted that AI could significantly benefit underserved populations by improving access to healthcare, education and knowledge services in local languages.
Martin Schroeter, Chairman and CEO of Kyndryl, said India is playing a defining role in shaping AI’s future, building on its digital public infrastructure to deliver innovation at scale.
Echoing the theme of inclusive growth, Natasha Crampton, Vice President and Chief Responsible AI Officer at Microsoft, pointed out that AI diffusion remains uneven globally. She said the summit provides a platform to narrow the gap between the Global North and South and ensure AI delivers broad societal benefits.
Security, Infrastructure and Responsible Deployment
As AI scales, several leaders stressed the importance of secure and trusted technology stacks.
Jay Chaudhry, CEO of Zscaler, said zero-trust security is foundational to unlocking AI’s full potential. He described India as having both the talent and vision to lead in secure AI adoption.
Sandip Patel, Managing Director of IBM India & South Asia, said AI must be supported by trusted, governed and sovereign technology stacks to move from pilot projects to large-scale impact.
Eric Yuan, Founder and CEO of Zoom, emphasised that AI must prioritise trust, security and human values, ensuring it enhances connection, creativity and collaboration.
India’s AI Strategy and Global Vision
India’s AI push is anchored in the IndiaAI Mission, launched in March 2024 with a substantial financial outlay to strengthen the domestic AI ecosystem. The initiative includes onboarding thousands of GPUs for shared compute access, supporting indigenous foundation models and investing in large-scale talent development.
Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Jitin Prasada said India’s approach is grounded in “Jan Bhagidari,” positioning citizens as active participants in AI-led transformation. By focusing on practical applications across governance, agriculture, health and education, India aims to demonstrate how AI can deliver inclusive and measurable public outcomes.
With more than 800 million internet users, a vibrant startup ecosystem and robust digital public infrastructure, India is projected to see its AI market exceed $17 billion by 2027. The summit reinforces India’s ambition to bridge innovation and impact, aligning technological advancement with the principles of People, Planet and Progress.
