New Delhi, Feb 16 (IANS) The India AI Impact Summit 2026, which commenced here on Monday, brings together the heads of state and government, ministers, global technology leaders, eminent researchers, multilateral institutions and industry stakeholders to deliberate on the role of AI in advancing inclusive growth, strengthening public systems and enabling sustainable development, while marking the first time that a global convening of this scale on the issue is being organised in the Global South.

The five-day summit, which goes on till February 20, will witness participation from over 100 government representatives, including more than 20 heads of state and government and 60 Ministers and Vice Ministers, along with over 500 global AI leaders comprising CEOs, founders, academicians, researchers, CTOs and philanthropic organisations.

On February 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the inaugural address, setting the tone for global cooperation and India’s vision for inclusive and responsible AI.

A major highlight of the summit, the three flagship Global Impact Challenges – AI for ALL, AI by HER, and YUVAi – will culminate in the announcement of their finalists and the Grand Finale showcase. Designed to advance inclusive, responsible and development-oriented artificial intelligence, these challenges were launched to accelerate scalable, high-impact AI solutions aligned with national priorities and global development objectives. Together, they attracted over 4,650 applications from more than 60 countries, reflecting strong international participation and reinforcing India’s emergence as a credible global hub for responsible and scalable AI innovation.

Following a rigorous multi-stage evaluation led by domain experts, policymakers and industry leaders, the top 70 teams across the three categories have been selected as finalists. They will present their solutions during the Grand Finale and Awards Felicitation Ceremony on February 16 and 17 at the Bharat Mandapam and the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan. The finalists will engage with policymakers, industry leaders, investors and academia, while gaining recognition and ecosystem support to scale their innovations nationally and globally.

The Research Symposium on AI and Its Impact, being organised in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad on February 18, serves as the principal academic platform of the Summit. The Symposium has received around 250 research submissions from Africa, Asia and Latin America and is being attended by Estonia’s President Alar Karis and Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.

It brings together globally renowned AI pioneers and leading research institutions to deliberate on AI-driven scientific discovery, safety and governance frameworks, equitable access to compute infrastructure and research collaboration across the Global South.

–IANS

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