New Delhi: Human-centric AI at India AI Impact Summit 2026 emerged as a central theme, with global leaders asserting that trust must be designed into artificial intelligence systems rather than assumed.
The session titled “Humanity in the Loop – Balancing Innovation and Ethics in the Age of AI” at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 focused on embedding accountability, transparency and human oversight into AI architecture from the outset. Speakers agreed that innovation and ethics are not competing priorities. Instead, they reinforce each other and determine long-term adoption.
Human-centric AI at India AI Impact Summit stresses accountability
Participants argued that ethical reflection must shape AI systems at the design stage. They warned that retrospective regulation often fails to prevent harm. Therefore, governance frameworks should anticipate risks, especially in high-impact sectors such as healthcare, workforce management and public administration.
Brando Benifei, Member of the European Parliament, called for calibrated and risk-based regulation. He emphasised that transparency, cybersecurity, data quality and clear governance structures are essential. Without trust, he noted, democratic adoption of AI becomes impossible.
Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information at UNESCO, underscored the importance of “ethics by design.” According to him, AI systems that integrate ethical principles early gain wider acceptance and deliver stronger societal impact.
Debjani Ghosh, Distinguished Fellow at NITI Aayog, framed the debate as a broader civilisational choice. She stressed that accountability must remain with human institutions and developers throughout the AI lifecycle.
From the enterprise perspective, Paula Goldman, EVP and Chief Ethical and Humane Use Officer at Salesforce, said organisations scale AI only when users can question and control how systems operate. She highlighted the need for observability, human escalation pathways and user choice.
The discussion concluded with a clear message: trust is not a by-product of technological progress. Rather, human-centric AI at India AI Impact Summit 2026 demonstrated that ethical design, strong governance and visible accountability will determine whether AI earns public confidence in critical moments.
