New Delhi: Five days, leaders from 20 countries, top executives from the world’s largest tech companies and crowds of hundreds of thousands in the heart of Delhi. The words “artificial intelligence” echoed everywhere. According to the government, the India AI Impact Summit was the largest AI-focussed event ever held.
After earlier editions in Britain, South Korea and France, this was the first time the summit took place in a Global South country.
New Delhi Declaration
On February 21, 88 countries and international organisations endorsed the New Delhi AI Impact Summit Declaration. The list included the United States, China, Britain, France, Germany and the European Union (EU). All commitments in the declaration are voluntary. Countries are free to decide how actively they implement the principles.
The declaration recognised negotiations held across seven thematic cycles at the summit and stated that the event would help promote international support for AI development while respecting national sovereignty.
The summit focussed on seven main topics, like making AI accessible to everyone and using it for economic and social growth. Of all AI summits held so far across the world, the New Delhi Declaration got support from the most countries.
India joins ‘Pax Silica’
On February 20, India and the United States signed an agreement called ‘Pax Silica’. This US-initiated pact encourages collaboration in AI and semiconductor technologies. Eight countries, including Japan and Britain, have already signed it.
Launched in December last year, experts say ‘Pax Silica’ was designed to counter China’s growing influence in advanced technologies. Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the pact is expected to boost India’s semiconductor sector.
Commitments from tech companies
On February 19, the minister announced the ‘New Delhi AI Impact Commitments’. Several Indian and international companies made voluntary pledges under this initiative. The commitments centred on two main areas. The first was analysing how AI impacts employment and the economy through data. The second was adapting AI to work across different languages and cultures.
Companies that joined included global firms such as OpenAI, Google and Anthropic, along with Indian companies like Survam and Gyani AI. The long-term impact of these voluntary pledges is still uncertain.
Focus on children’s safety
French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the importance of protecting children from AI and social media risks. He said that France has restricted social media access for children under 15 and suggested that India may follow similar measures.
Speaking immediately after him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not announce any social media restrictions for children but emphasised the need to make AI safe for them.
Vaishnaw added that the government is discussing with social media companies whether age-based restrictions for AI usage are necessary.
India launches three AI models
During the summit, India unveiled three AI models (Survam, Gyani and BharatGen) built for using Indian languages.
Many companies, including Reliance, Microsoft and Google, also pledged investment in AI initiatives in India.
Controversies and complaints
The summit faced several controversies. The most talked-about incident involved a “robot dog” at Galgotia University’s stall, which was claimed to be developed locally but was purchased from China. This led to a major dispute, and the university removed the stall while issuing clarifications.
Some participants also complained about logistical issues. Long queues for security checks and blocked roads for VIP movement caused inconvenience, especially on the first day. Over the following days, arrangements for entry, food and movement improved.
On February 17, Vaishnaw apologised for any inconvenience during a press conference and said the organising team was working to make the summit smoother.
On Friday, Youth Congress members protested against Prime Minister Modi, removing their T-shirts and shouting slogans. Delhi Police arrested four protesters in connection with the incident.
Limited participation from civil society, women
Experts criticised the summit for its lack of balanced representation. Tech policy expert Apar Gupta wrote that while the event aimed to make AI accessible to people, participation was dominated by government and large tech companies.
Human rights organisations and civil society groups had minimal presence. AI continues to be a male-dominated field, and women’s participation at the summit was far lower than men’s. Most CEO presentations and company stalls were led by men explaining products and company initiatives.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
