New Delhi, Feb 19 (UNI) The democratization of artificial intelligence is the only fair and safe path forward, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Thursday, as global technology and policy leaders gathered at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to chart the future of AI governance, inclusion and growth.
The summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who underscored that AI must become a tool for inclusion and empowerment, particularly for the Global South.
Against this backdrop, keynote speakers from leading global institutions highlighted both the transformative potential of AI and the urgent need for responsible, inclusive deployment.
Altman pointed to the rapid pace of technological advancement and India’s emerging role in shaping the global AI trajectory.
“On our current trajectory, we believe we may be only a couple of years away from early versions of true super intelligence. If we are right, by the end of 2028, more of the world’s intellectual capacity could reside inside of data centers than outside of it,” he said.
Emphasising openness and societal resilience, Altman added, “Democratization of AI is the only fair and safe path forward. Democratization of AI is the best way to ensure that humanity flourishes.”
He stressed that broad access to AI capabilities would be critical to ensuring benefits are widely distributed rather than concentrated.
Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, described AI as a decisive force in addressing the global technology divide.
“AI, perhaps more than any other technology this century, will play a decisive role in either closing this economic divide or exacerbating it. That is the single most important question for us today: How can we do better?” he said.
Smith highlighted the importance of digital infrastructure, skilling initiatives and linguistic diversity to ensure AI supports inclusive growth, particularly across developing economies.
Ankur Vora, President of the Africa and India Offices at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focused on AI’s potential to accelerate progress in health, education and agriculture.
“Many people predict that AI will help the world be better for everyone. Others predict it will only benefit the privileged few. But the fact is, it’s not a matter of prediction. It”s a choice,” he said.
Vora also announced new philanthropic initiatives aimed at ensuring AI-driven solutions reach underserved communities.
Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture, called for large-scale reinvention across companies, governments and individuals.
“Using AI as an engine for growth is the only path for global prosperity, for all,” she said, stressing the need for leadership, global standards and workforce transformation to keep humans firmly in the lead as AI adoption scales.
Collectively, the keynote addresses reflected the defining tension of the AI era: unprecedented technological acceleration alongside an urgent need for responsibility, inclusion and global cooperation.
From superintelligence and sovereign capability to infrastructure, skilling and social impact, the leaders converged on a shared imperative that AI must narrow divides rather than widen them, expand opportunity rather than concentrate power, and remain anchored in human values and democratic institutions.
