IndiaAI working group meeting at IIT Hyderabad focuses on inclusive AI adoption
Hyderabad: The IndiaAI Mission, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), hosted the IndiaAI working group meeting on Inclusion for Social Empowerment at IIT Hyderabad to advance deliberations on inclusive and responsible AI adoption.
The meeting brought together senior policymakers, academics, industry leaders, and researchers. They discussed inclusive AI development, equitable access to AI opportunities, and responsible societal adoption. Moreover, the discussions were aimed at shaping national priorities for human-centric AI.
The working group meeting served as a precursor to the India AI Impact Summit 2026. The summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from February 16 to 20, 2026. Therefore, the consultations form part of a nationwide series to inform the summit’s agenda and outcomes.
The inaugural session featured addresses by Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and Indian chair of the working group, and Ambassador Thomas Schneider of Switzerland. IIT Hyderabad Director Prof. B.S. Murty and senior MeitY and Telangana officials also addressed the gathering. Speakers underlined the need to embed inclusion, trust, and social context at the core of India’s AI journey.
Prof. Murty said India must take bold, interdisciplinary steps to lead in AI. He added that AI development should focus on real-world impact while addressing concerns around responsibility and acceptability.
Dr. Nalin Kumar Srivastava of MeitY said the meeting focused on inclusion, access, equity, and responsibility. He noted that AI development was not only a technological challenge but also a moral responsibility centred on social empowerment.
IndiaAI working group meeting feeds into Impact Summit 2026 agenda
In his plenary address, Rajesh Aggarwal said India’s AI framework was built around seven verticals, including social empowerment. He stressed that AI must work for people across diverse social and economic backgrounds. He also said AI should address bias and avoid deepening inequalities.
Telangana Joint Director (e-Governance) Ch. Bharath Reddy highlighted the state’s focus on innovation-led growth. He said the themes discussed would be taken forward through focused sessions at the upcoming summit.
Ambassador Thomas Schneider said AI must be used sustainably and inclusively. He stressed that responsible AI design was essential to protect dignity, rights, and autonomy, while ensuring no one was left behind.
The programme included a technical keynote on “Reimagine Bharat with AI” by Reliance Jio Chief Data Scientist Prof. Shailesh Kumar. This was followed by panel discussions on inclusive AI development and societal adoption of AI. Experts from academia, industry, startups, healthcare, and civil society shared insights on bias mitigation, access expansion, trust, and accountability.
Startup pitch sessions, student interactions, and networking discussions were also held. The event concluded with a closed-door meeting to consolidate recommendations. Officials said the outcomes would contribute to national discussions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, reinforcing the IndiaAI Mission’s commitment to inclusive and responsible AI aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
