India AI Summit Focuses on Applications, Partnerships Amid Controversies
The AI Impact Summit 2026 kicked off in New Delhi with a grand inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking a significant gathering of global leaders. The event, hosted at Bharat Mandapam from February 16-20, boasts participation from over 100 countries, 50+ ministers, and 3,250 speakers, including tech titans like Sam Altman, Sundar Pichai, and Mukesh Ambani, alongside political figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron and former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The summit's core focus is shaping an inclusive and responsible future for artificial intelligence. A key theme emerging from the discussions, highlighted by venture capitalist Bejul Somaia of Lightspeed, is that India's greatest AI opportunity lies not in building foundational models but in the application layer. Somaia argued that India's AI narrative is defined by the speed of adoption, engineering talent, and execution, allowing smaller teams to build startups faster and compete effectively. Amid the high-level talks on partnership and governance, the summit was not without controversy. Bill Gates withdrew from his scheduled address, with the Gates Foundation stating it was to keep the focus on the summit's key priorities following 'Epstein fallout.' In a separate incident, Galgotias University was reportedly removed from the event premises in connection with a display involving a robot dog. Despite these incidents, the summit proceeded with significant announcements, including new global partnerships from Google, and concluded with Switzerland's President Guy Parmelin announcing that Geneva will host the 2027 edition.
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AI Summit: Here's why Lightspeed’s Bejul Somaia sees India’s AI future in applications, not infrastructure
AI lets smaller teams build startups faster, changing competition ... India’s biggest artificial intelligence opportunity will emerge in the application layer rather than in building large foundation models, according to Bejul Somaia, Managing Director at Lightspeed Venture Partners.
AI Impact Summit on February 19: Over 100 nations, 50+ ministers, 40 CEOs attend, full speaker list inside | Tech News - News9live
Global technology leaders and political heavyweights have gathered in New Delhi for the AI Impact Summit 2026, with PM Narendra Modi formally inaugurating the event today. French President Emmanuel Macron, Sam Altman, Sundar Pichai, Mukesh Ambani and Rishad Premji are among the key speakers.
From Sam Altman to Mukesh Ambani: List of key speakers on Day 4 of India AI Impact Summit 2026 | Company Business News
India is hosting the AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam from Feb 16–20, with participation from 100 countries and over 3,250 speakers. PM Narendra Modi welcomed global leaders, including top tech CEOs and policymakers. The summit focuses on shaping an inclusive and responsible AI future.
The Gates Foundation India on Thursday said the billionaire would skip the address "[a]fter careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit's key priorities," adding that he would be replaced by another foundation representative.
Comprehensive global coverage of how religion shapes our world. See All Newsletters ... People visit Galgotias University stall at AI summit ahead of an eviction order issued by Indian authorities, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Feb.
India AI Summit 2026 Day 4 Highlights: Switzerland looks forward to hosting 2027 AI Summit in Geneva, says President Parmelin - The Hindu
SEE ALL NEWSLETTERS Children Elections ... Search for topics, people, articles... India World Movies Sport Data Health Opinion Science Entertainment Premium ... Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with Swiss Confederation President Guy Parmelin, on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit ...
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