About the Summit
Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at the threshold of fundamentally reshaping human civilization, pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve. This technological revolution opens unprecedented opportunities for advancements across every domain of human endeavor, while profoundly challenging the very foundations of society in an increasingly complex and evolving geopolitical order. For developing countries, AI offers an unprecedented opportunity to leapfrog traditional developmental pathways. The multi-modal and multi-lingual capabilities of AI create new possibilities through which access to benefits can be made available at scale. As a result, AI is seen not merely as a technological advancement but as a strategic tool to enable inclusive growth and expand access to opportunities that have historically been out of reach for large segments of the population.
Recognizing this transformative potential, the past four years have witnessed a remarkable surge in multilateral initiatives dedicated to harnessing AI's potential responsibly and equitably. From the G20 AI Principles to the UN and Global Partnership on AI (GPAI) Resolutions on AI, the African Declaration on AI, and most recently, the Hamburg Declaration on Responsible AI, these efforts reflect unprecedented international recognition that AI's transformative impact transcends borders and requires coordinated global action.
Despite these high-level commitments, a fundamental gap persists between global aspirations and the reality on the ground. The Global AI Divide continues to widen, with AI resources and capabilities concentrated among select nations and corporations. This concentration fundamentally limits the development of social, cultural, and linguistically contextual AI solutions, constraining AI's potential to accelerate progress toward our collective development goals, especially for the Global South.
Simultaneously, AI's rapid proliferation across society is creating new challenges that demand urgent attention: disrupting traditional employment patterns, exacerbating existing biases, and driving exponential increases in energy consumption. These developments underscore the urgent need to move beyond aspirational frameworks toward concrete, measurable impact that addresses both AI's promise and its perils.
The Mantra: A Time for Impact
The India–AI Impact Summit 2026, announced by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit and scheduled for February 19–20 in New Delhi, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Building on the momentum of leading international forums such as the UK AI Safety Summit, the AI Seoul Summit, the France AI Action Summit, and the Global AI Summit on Africa, this high-level convening marks a critical inflection point. It will strengthen existing multilateral initiatives while advancing new priorities, deliverables, and cooperative frameworks—moving from high-level political statements to demonstrable impact and tangible progress in global AI cooperation.
The Summit charts a path towards a future where the transformative power of AI serves humanity, drives inclusive growth, fosters social development, and promotes people-centric innovations that protect our planet. It also seeks to amplify the voice of the Global South, ensuring that technological advancements and opportunities are shared broadly, not concentrated in a few regions.
At the same time, AI’s rapid proliferation across society poses urgent challenges—disrupting traditional employment patterns, exacerbating biases, and accelerating energy consumption. These developments highlight the pressing need to go beyond aspirational frameworks and deliver measurable, concrete impact that addresses both the promise and the perils of AI.
The Seven Chakras
Building upon the three foundational Sutras, the deliberations at the AI Impact Summit will be organized around seven interconnected Chakras, areas of multilateral cooperation designed to channel collective energy toward holistic societal transformation. These Seven Chakras represent focused domains of international collaboration that translate the broader principles of People, Planet, and Progress into concrete areas of action:
- Human Capital
- Inclusion for Social Empowerment
- Safe and Trusted AI
- Resilience, Innovation, and Efficiency
- Science
- Democratizing AI Resources
- AI for Economic Growth and Social Good
Each Chakra represents a distinct yet interconnected sphere of multilateral engagement through which the transformative potential of AI can be harnessed to deliver tangible benefits aligned with the three Sutras. Together, they offer a comprehensive framework that enables countries, international organizations, and stakeholders to coordinate AI deployment strategies that enable the maximization of collective benefits while still addressing shared challenges.
The Impact of AI
Achieving this vision requires global consensus on how AI is developed and applied in ways that serve the Planet, its People, and the Progress of all. This includes rethinking how data is managed, how AI models are designed and deployed, and how these technologies are integrated into our social and economic fabric. The India AI Summit aims to build consensus on all these issues so that AI’s Impact is realized equitably by all.
The AI Impact Summit represents more than a gathering of leaders; it embodies a commitment to amplify the positive impact of AI. Through the three foundational Sutras and seven focused Chakras, the global community will forge concrete pathways that ensure AI serves the Planet, empowers all People, and accelerates Progress for every nation.
Source: AI Summit website
