AI Global leaders call for innovation with responsibility

New Delhi, Feb 19: World leaders and top technology executives on Thursday backed innovation with responsibility at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, describing artificial intelligence as a transformative force that must remain inclusive, accountable, and human-centred.

The summit brought together political leaders, multilateral institutions and Big Tech CEOs at Bharat Mandapam to deliberate on the future of AI.

French President Emmanuel Macron said, “The smartest AI is not the most expensive. It is the one built by the best people and for the right purpose.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres cautioned against concentrated control of the technology, saying, “The future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries or left to the whims of a few billionaires.”

Google CEO Sundar Pichai warned of widening inequalities, saying, “We cannot allow the digital divide to become an AI divide.”

Chairman of Tata Sons, Natarajan Chandrasekaran emphasised inclusive access, saying, “We should put AI tools in the hands of the last person of the country.”

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei highlighted the pace of change, noting that AI systems are “increasingly close” to surpassing human cognitive capabilities in most domains.

The summit underscored a shared global consensus: AI’s extraordinary potential must be matched with strong governance, international cooperation and a commitment to ensuring that its benefits are widely shared.