New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS) Noted businessman Mohandas Pai, lauding the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026, on Thursday, exuded confidence that the deep tech and AI solutions will unfold unprecedented opportunities for the nation as well as mankind, and also cautioned on optimum and humane utilisation of the high-end technology.

The former Infosys Chief Financial Officer (CFO), speaking to IANS, said that India is the third largest AI power in the world and this AI Impact Summit will add more power to India’s dreams of harnessing its AI aspirations, however there is still a long way to go.

He added that the AI will be a transformational force in reshaping the world, and it will make the human race more productive.

“It will make learning, teaching faster, enhance healthcare and also change the world in an unforeseen manner,” Pai said.

“It (India AI Impact Summit 2026) is for the good of humanity, providing it is used in ethical and humane manner. This is what Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised upon,” he said.

He also underscored the need for developing data centres in the country, building our own large learning models to ensure that India doesn’t become slave to Western powers, including the US and China, which have their goals cut out to emerge as AI service providers.

“We must not end up as only users of AI, we got to have our dedicated base of data centres with own capability of using and leveraging it as per our needs,” Pai cautioned.

He added that the biggest fear of AI is the impact on children and their impressionable minds because they are already exposed to digital media and technical appliances.

Sharing insights from recent findings, Pai said that a couple of studies have already pointed out at weakening cognitive ability in children and this must raise alarm bells because it is bizarre to see the next generation as less smart than the previous one.

Pai, when asked on Opposition’s criticism and dubbing of the event as ‘PR spectacle’, was unsparing in his rebuke.

He lashed out at the Congress for ‘belittling’ the nation by repeatedly pointing to the flaws than celebrating the India’s proud AI moment.

He reiterated the critics’ charge that the massive AI Summit was mocked and derided either by foreign powers or by Congress and said that such antics will do no good to Congress, either socially or electorally, as the young and aspirational class will never subscribe to such outlandish approach.

“If they abuse the techies, abuse the entrepreneurs, abuse the nation, will the people like this and appreciate such behaviour?” Pai asked.

–IANS

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