India hosts AI Impact Summit, global leaders attend
Macron and Lula expected at summit shaping global AI governance and international collaboration efforts
Delhi’s buzzing this week, and not just from the usual traffic jams. India’s thrown open the doors to the AI Impact Summit—a massive five-day extravaganza on artificial intelligence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off with his signature flair. Picture the scene: Modi at the inauguration in New Delhi, beaming as he unveils a “shared roadmap for global AI governance and collaboration.” “This proves India’s sprinting ahead in science and tech,” he posted on X Monday. “It showcases our youth’s firepower!” If you’re Indian, doesn’t that hit home? That pride swell when your country’s suddenly the global stage.
Touted as the biggest AI shindig yet, it’s pulling in a whopping 250,000 visitors—tech whizzes, startups, dreamers. Heavy hitters too: 20 heads of state and 45 ministerial delegations jetting in to tackle the thorny stuff. Jobs vanishing to algorithms? Check. Keeping kids safe from AI’s wild side? Double check. Bias in bots, deepfakes fooling elections, ethical minefields—it’s all on the table. Feels like the world’s finally waking up to AI’s double-edged sword: game-changer for healthcare and farming, sure, but what about the truck drivers or call-center folks it might sideline?
I mean, think about it personally. My cousin in Bengaluru codes AI models by day; his dad, a lifelong factory hand, frets about robots stealing shifts. That’s the human heartbeat here—Modi’s “youth capability” rallying cry versus real fears of disruption. Sessions dive into upskilling workers, equitable growth, even AI for climate fixes tailored to India’s monsoons and megacities. Leaders from the US, Europe, Africa are hashing out rules so AI doesn’t turn dystopian. Exciting? Absolutely. But as one delegate quipped to me over a hurried chai, “Governance sounds great—until your laptop’s charging port is AWOL.”
Ah, the chaos. Opening day hit a snag faster than a monsoon flood. Long queues snaking for kilometers, overcrowding like a Kumbh Mela gone digital, and organizational hiccups that had folks venting online. Reuters chatted with delegates who described a comedy of errors: sudden venue evacuations for VIP security sweeps, leaving bags and booths abandoned. Unclear instructions meant scrambling to reclaim gear—laptops, demos, dreams. Poor signage turned the massive exhibition hall into a maze; limited seats left innovators parked on floors, laptops balanced on knees.
Take Maitreya Wagh, co-founder of AI voice startup Bolna. Locked out of his own booth, he tweeted: “Gates closed—couldn’t access my spot at the AI Summit. If you’re stuck outside craving Bola team vibes, DM me!” Desperate times? He joked about popping a “mini-booth” at a Connaught Place cafe nearby. Classic Delhi hustle—when the venue flops, pivot to the street-side vibe with filter coffee and code. Other speakers griped about unconfirmed Tuesday panels; agendas floating like Delhi smog. One startup founder messaged me: “Flew from Hyderabad, hyped for the global stage, now waiting two hours in line. AI’s futuristic, but this queue feels prehistoric!”
It’s peak India, isn’t it? Ambition on steroids—Modi dreams of positioning India as AI superpower, startups like Bolna building voice tech for regional languages (think Hindi podcasts or Tamil tutors). The summit’s expo hall bursts with holograms, robot demos, ethical AI debates. Youth coders pitch ideas that could revolutionize farming in Punjab or traffic in Mumbai. Yet, the glitches remind us: grand visions need ground-level polish. Echoes of past events like G20—shiny outcomes amid the sweat.
By Tuesday, fixes were underway: extra staff, better flow. Still, the online roast lingers—”AI Summit or Queue Summit?” one meme quipped. Human touch? It’s there in the grit. Attendees swapping war stories, networking over shared frustration, turning lemons into startup collabs. As Modi said, it’s our youth’s moment. Will this spawn real global pacts? Curb job tsunamis? Protect kids from creepy chatbots? Fingers crossed. For now, Delhi’s AI party rages on—glitches, guests, and all. If you’re nearby, grab a spot; just pack patience and a power bank.