NEW DELHI: More than 50 countries from the Global South will take part in the fourth edition of the AI Summit being hosted by India, signalling a decisive shift in the global AI conversation, from safety alone to human-centric development and empowerment. The summit, scheduled from 16 to 20 February, has already drawn over two lakh registrations, underscoring the scale of global interest.
The 18th evening will feature a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister, while 19 February will see the inaugural session, plenary discussions, and a high-level CEO Forum. Participation is expected from 20 global leaders, 45 ministers, and 30 vice-ministers, making it one of the most politically representative AI gatherings to date.
This fourth edition marks an important evolution. While earlier summits centred on safety and public interest, India’s focus this year is firmly on making AI human-centric, investing in human capital, expanding access, and harnessing AI for inclusive development. At the heart of the summit are seven “Chakras” working groups designed to translate vision into action.
The Human Capital Chakra recognises that AI is transforming the nature of work at an unprecedented pace. It aims to equip citizens with the skills, literacy, and adaptability required to thrive in an AI-driven economy, ensuring that technological change creates opportunity rather than displacement. “Our focus is on human capital and how to use AI as an empowering tool,” a senior MEA official said.
The Inclusion for Social Empowerment Chakra addresses a stark imbalance, much of today’s AI reflects the languages, cultures, and contexts of only a handful of regions. This group seeks to foster AI systems that are inclusive by design, locally relevant, and culturally respectful, ensuring billions are not left digitally invisible.
The Safe and Trusted AI Chakra builds on prior global conversations, focusing on democratising governance tools and strengthening the technical capabilities of nations to regulate and deploy AI responsibly. Resilience, Innovation, and Efficiency confront the environmental and resource costs of modern AI systems, while tackling the widening AI divide between nations. The AI in Science Chakra focuses on inclusive scientific partnerships, expanding research ecosystems across the Global South, and ensuring innovation remains collaborative and globally accessible.
Finally, Democratising AI Resources seeks to address the concentration of datasets, compute power, and advanced models within a small group of countries and corporations, advocating broader, fairer access. “Together, these Chakras signal a clear message: the future of AI must not be written by a few, but shaped by many and anchored in empowerment, equity, and development. That’s for the progress of humanity,” said a source.