India is hosting an artificial intelligence summit this week, bringing together heads of state and tech executives with hot-button issues on the agenda, including job disruption and child safety.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the five-day AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, which aims to declare a “shared roadmap for global AI governance and collaboration”.
This occasion is further proof that our country is progressing rapidly in the field of science and technology,” and it “shows the capability of our country’s youth”, he said in an X post on Monday.
Touted as the biggest edition yet, the Indian government is expecting 250,000 visitors from across the sector, including 20 national leaders and 45 ministerial-level delegations.
But the summit faced a wave of online criticism on its opening day as attendees reported long queues, overcrowding and organisational lapses at the venue.
Several delegates told Reuters news agency that unclear instructions had left many scrambling to reclaim possessions after the exhibition building was suddenly cleared ahead of security sweeps for high-level arrivals.
Attendees said poor signage and limited seating added to confusion at the summit, while some speakers due on Tuesday panels were still awaiting confirmation of sessions and agendas, Reuters reported.
“Gates are closed so could not access my own booth at the AI Summit. If you’re also stuck outside and wanted to visit the Bola team, dm me,” Maitreya Wagh, co-founder of AI voice startup Bolna, posted on X.
“We may set up a mini-booth at some Connaught Place cafe,” he added, referring to the business district near the summit venue.
‘Shaping humanity’
The summit comes at a pivotal moment as AI rapidly transforms economies, reshapes labour markets and raises questions around regulations, security and ethics.
“We may set up a mini-booth at some Connaught Place cafe,” he added, referring to the business district near the summit venue.
From generative AI tools that can produce text and images to advanced systems used in defence, healthcare and climate modelling, AI has become a central focus for governments and corporations across the world.
The summit, previously held in France, the United Kingdom and South Korea, has evolved far beyond its modest beginnings as a meeting tightly focused on the safety of cutting-edge AI systems into an all-purpose jamboree trade fair in which safety is just one aspect.
India – the world’s most populous nation and one of the fastest-growing digital markets – sees the summit as an opportunity to project itself as a bridge between advanced economies and the Global South.
Officials said the country’s experience in building large-scale digital public infrastructure, including digital identity and payment platforms, offers a model for deploying AI at scale while keeping costs low.
“The goal is clear: AI should be used for shaping humanity, inclusive growth and a sustainable future,” India’s Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are among the world leaders expected to attend the summit.
Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft President Brad Smith and AMI Labs Executive Chairman Yann LeCun are also expected to attend.
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