World leaders gathered in New Delhi this week for a major global summit on artificial intelligence (AI), with discussions centred on regulation, innovation and equitable access to the rapidly advancing technology.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron were among high-profile speakers addressing the fourth and most prominent day of the summit.
The meeting marks the fourth in a series of international AI forums held since 2023, following earlier editions in France, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Key themes this year include job disruption, child safety, regulatory frameworks and global governance.
Guterres cautioned against allowing the future of AI to be dictated by a handful of powerful technology figures, warning that the technology’s trajectory should not be shaped solely by private interests. He urged leading tech companies to support a proposed USD 3 billion global fund aimed at ensuring open and equitable access to AI systems worldwide.
Macron stressed the importance of collaborative rule-making, saying Europe remains committed to balancing innovation with safety. He noted that Europe is determined to shape global AI standards alongside partners such as India, describing the region as both a space for innovation and a safe regulatory environment.
One notable absentee was Bill Gates, who withdrew hours before his scheduled appearance. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said the decision was taken to ensure focus remained on the summit’s priorities.
Gates has recently faced renewed scrutiny over his past association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, and previously stated that he regrets the time spent with him. A representative from the foundation attended the summit in his place.
As the first global AI summit hosted by a developing country, the five-day event also provides India with an opportunity to strengthen its standing in the expanding AI sector. According to a recent global competitiveness ranking by Stanford researchers, India climbed to third place worldwide in AI capability last year, though analysts note that significant investment and infrastructure development will be required to rival the United States and China.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted recent AI model launches by Indian companies and emphasised the importance of open systems. He said AI models developed in India could be deployed globally and stressed that the technology must be shared openly to allow young innovators to enhance its safety and effectiveness.
Modi added that AI should serve the global common good, describing the present moment as the beginning of an era in which humans and intelligent systems co-create, co-work and co-evolve.
