AI Summit: Bureaucrat Dispels Fears of Job Loss, Lauds Role In Governance

Emphasising India’s growing leadership in emerging technologies, Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that artificial intelligence (AI) is set to usher in a transformative era and that fears surrounding job losses are misplaced as the AI Impact Summit kicked off on Monday in the national capital.

Addressing concerns over automation-led job displacement amid the rising global demand for AI solutions, the Joint Secretary compared the present “scare” to apprehensions witnessed during the advent of computers in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

“India for the first time is organising this event and it’s a big moment for the country,” Sanjiv said.

“There is nothing to fear about it [AI taking away jobs] because when computers came earlier, people were scared. But they eventually learnt it and now all are quite savvy about it. Similar case is with the AI also. It is going to bring a revolution in the days to come,” he added.

Actor, lyricist and TEDx speaker Atika Farooqui said the convergence of technology and creativity is fundamentally reshaping narratives across platforms.

“It is quite apparent that as technology and creativity converge, storytelling is being fundamentally redefined. We have to think about how AI, immersive technologies, data, and interactive platforms are reshaping the way stories are conceived, produced, distributed, and experienced,” she said.

Echoing similar optimism, Tyrone Estephan, Managing Director of Alt. Vfx, said India is rapidly positioning itself as a major force in the global AI ecosystem.

“India is evolving and bringing so much to the table in the AI sector. It’s emerging as the leader of the Global South. There is huge potential for AI in India,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at the Bharat Mandapam in the national capital today.

An unprecedented roster of Presidents, Prime Ministers, Crown Princes, and the brightest minds from Silicon Valley and beyond will convene here as India hosts the first global AI summit to be in the Global South.

It will bring together global leaders, policymakers, technology companies, innovators, and experts to showcase and deliberate on the transformative potential of AI across governance, innovation, and sustainable development.

The summit, which kicked off on Monday in New Delhi, will welcome world leaders from across 20 countries, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and others. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also attend the event.

From February 16 to 20, the Impact Summit will showcase New Delhi’s ambition: to shape an AI future that is inclusive, responsible, and impactful. At the core is India’s audacious vision for sovereign AI. (ANI)