India AI summit: Modi, Macron call for safety amid AI boom
Deutsche Welle
February 19, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the importance of responsible AI governance at the Global AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, emphasizing the need for ethical frameworks to ensure AI benefits everyone equitably. Modi called for the democratization of AI, urging that it should not reduce humans to mere "data points" or "raw material." He introduced India's MANAV framework, which focuses on moral systems, accountable governance, national sovereignty, accessibility, and legitimate use of AI. The summit, a first-of-its-kind event in the Global South, aimed to address the dominance of wealthy nations in AI development and deployment.
The gathering brought together world leaders, including Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, alongside tech giants like OpenAI's Sam Altman and Google's Sundar Pichai. However, notable absentees included Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who withdrew hours before his scheduled speech, citing a desire to keep the summit focused on its key priorities. Macron echoed Modi's calls for ethical AI governance, emphasizing Europe's role as an innovative yet safe space for AI development. He also stressed the importance of protecting children from online harms and illegal content generated by AI tools like Elon Musk's X platform.
Despite its focus on safety, the summit faced challenges, including controversy over a fake robotic dog showcased by an Indian university, which sparked public outrage. India's experience in building large-scale infrastructure was highlighted as a model for scaling AI affordably. The event underscored the growing global recognition of the need to regulate AI to prevent misuse while fostering innovation. As countries like France and India work on legislation to protect children from digital harms, the summit serves as a reminder of AI's dual potential—as a tool for progress or a threat to societal values.
This matters because AI's rapid advancement poses significant risks, including job displacement, privacy violations, and ethical dilemmas. The discussions at the summit highlight the urgent need for international collaboration to shape a future where AI serves humanity's interests rather than threatens it. As Modi and Macron emphasized, responsible governance and democratization of AI are critical to ensuring its benefits reach everyone, especially in developing nations like India, which could play a pivotal role in shaping the global AI ecosystem.
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Originally published on Deutsche Welle on 2/19/2026