- On February 21, 2026, in New Delhi, 86 countries, including the US and China, signed a declaration calling for the development of “secure, trustworthy and robust AI.”
- The declaration came after 5 days of the AI Impact Summit – the 4th global AI conference and the first hosted by a developing nation.
- The document offers no legally binding commitments, primarily emphasizing voluntary and non-mandatory initiatives.
- The declaration calls generative AI an “inflection point” in the process of technological evolution.
- The US had refused to sign the declaration in 2025 due to concerns that regulations would stifle innovation, but participated in signing this year.
- Previously, on February 20, the US and India signed a bilateral statement supporting an innovation- and business-friendly approach to AI.
- Hot topics included: new drug discovery, translation tools, job loss risks, online abuse, and the massive electricity consumption of data centers.
- The AI Now Institute criticized the declaration as “generic voluntary promises,” arguing it leans more towards industry interests than public protection.
- 80% of the Fortune 500 have deployed AI agents; the need for reskilling was highlighted to prepare for an AI-driven economy.
- The conference also addressed the development of energy-efficient AI systems to reduce resource pressure.
- The UN confirmed 40 members joining the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence, aiming for a model similar to the IPCC for AI.
- India aims to attract over $200 billion in investment over the next 2 years, promoting the construction of large-scale data centers, potentially using nuclear power.
- The next conference will take place in Geneva in 2027.
📌 The AI Impact Summit 2026 gathered 86 nations to sign a declaration calling for safe and trustworthy AI, but lacked specific binding commitments. The US participated in the signing for the first time after opposing heavy-handed regulations at last year’s conference. The declaration calls generative AI an “inflection point” in technological evolution. The AI Now Institute criticized the declaration as “generic voluntary promises,” claiming it favors industry interests over public protection. Meanwhile, India is pushing an ambition to attract over $200 billion in AI investment within 2 years. Global focus is now shifting to governance, labor reskilling, and energy efficiency for AI systems.
