It is the first major international AI summit held in the Global South.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event.New Delhi is now the center of global talks on artificial intelligence. The India AI Impact Summit 2026 runs from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam.Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the summit on Monday afternoon(16/02/2026). He welcomed world leaders, tech bosses, innovators, policymakers, researchers, and tech fans from many countries.This summit follows earlier global AI meetings. These include the AI Safety Summit in the UK, the AI Seoul Summit in South Korea, and the AI Action Summit in France.

The event is the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South. It focuses on real impact, not just talk. Leaders aim to shape AI for humanity, inclusive growth, and a sustainable future.More than 250,000 visitors are expected. Over 300 exhibitors from India and 30+ countries join in 10+ thematic pavilions. Around 20 national leaders and 45 ministerial delegations attend.
Key people include French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Tech leaders like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai are also present.The summit discusses important topics. These include job changes due to AI, child safety, ethical rules, and closing the gap between rich and poor nations in AI use.It stresses responsible intelligence, trusted tech, and AI that helps people without taking jobs away. Small, affordable AI tools get special focus. These work on simple devices even with poor internet.

The government of India organizes the summit under the IndiaAI Mission. It brings together governments, companies, researchers, and groups to build a shared plan for global AI rules and teamwork.The summit ends on February 20. It aims to move from ideas to real actions that benefit people, the planet, and progress.

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