National Desk (VOC)

The five-day international conference on Artificial Intelligence, titled “AI Impact Summit 2026,” began in New Delhi today and will continue until Friday, February 20, 2026. Organizers have described it as the largest AI-focused summit ever held not only in India but across South Asia.

The summit has attracted leading figures from the global technology industry. Among the key participants are Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and senior executives from nearly 40 major international technology companies. In addition, heads of state and top leaders from 20 countries are attending the event.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address the summit on Thursday. He is also expected to hold several bilateral meetings with world leaders and industry representatives on the sidelines of the conference.

Among the prominent international leaders visiting India for the summit are French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Lula da Silva. The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is also expected to participate. Organizers stated that nearly 200,000 people have registered for the summit, including farmers and workers from the unorganized sector, highlighting efforts to connect artificial intelligence with broader sections of society.

India currently ranks second globally in terms of AI research capacity and skilled human resources. In this context, the summit is being seen as a major platform for attracting international investment. Technology giant Microsoft has already announced a commitment of USD 17.5 billion over the next four years to expand AI infrastructure in India.

The sessions of the summit are being held at Bharat Mandapam, Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, and several other important venues across New Delhi. The conference is structured around three core pillars—technology, policy-making, and investment—making it a focal point for global dialogue on the future of artificial intelligence.

Experts believe that the AI Impact Summit 2026 will further strengthen India’s position as a global hub for artificial intelligence and help shape a new roadmap for South Asia’s technology-driven future.

National Desk : Voice of Calcutta