The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), through its Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI), played a prominent role in shaping conversations on safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held in New Delhi from February 16 to 20.
CeRAI served as a knowledge partner for the summit, which was organised by the ministry of electronics and information technology under the IndiaAI Mission. The event brought together policymakers, researchers, global AI leaders and industry stakeholders to deliberate on governance, innovation and inclusive deployment of AI systems.
Spotlight on Safe and Trustworthy AI
CeRAI, a virtual interdisciplinary research centre housed at the Wadhwani School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (WSAI), focuses on developing responsible and socially impactful AI systems. At the summit expo, the centre hosted a dedicated stall that showcased its research initiatives, policy contributions and collaborative projects aimed at advancing safe AI technologies. The exhibit drew strong engagement from delegates across academia, industry and government.
A highlight of the Summit was a keynote session moderated by Prof. B. Ravindran, head of WSAI and CeRAI at IIT Madras, featuring Dr. Demis Hassabis, CEO and co-founder of Google DeepMind. The discussion explored the limitations of current AI systems, the need for continual learning and long-term planning, and the role of creativity in scientific discovery.
The session underscored the growing synergy between large-scale foundation models and reinforcement learning as a pathway toward building more consistent and robust AI systems.
Global South at the Centre of AI Governance
Prof. Ravindran, who also chairs the Safe and Trusted AI working group, described the summit as a landmark moment for India’s AI ecosystem. He emphasised that the Global South’s unique deployment realities must inform global conversations on AI governance and safety.
Through its sessions and the launch of the Global South Network for Trustworthy AI, CeRAI aims to foster evidence-based discussions and ensure that AI systems are not only technically safe but contextually trustworthy.
Thematic Dialogues on Education and Collaboration
Beyond the keynote, CeRAI organised multiple thematic sessions addressing practical challenges in AI adoption. One session, titled “Safe AI Solutions in Education – A Practitioner-Oriented Dialogue for the Global South Perspective,” brought together researchers, policymakers, edtech innovators and educators to discuss equitable and transparent AI adoption in education systems.
Another session on “Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration to Foster AI Adoption in the Global South” examined regulatory readiness, governance mechanisms and cross-sector partnerships required to scale responsible AI deployment.
Launch of Global South Network for Trustworthy AI
A key milestone at the Summit was the formal launch of the Global South Network for Trustworthy AI. The initiative seeks to generate contextual evidence on AI safety risks, build regional capacity and strengthen the voice of Global South nations in global AI governance debates.
Through its active participation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, IIT Madras reaffirmed its commitment to advancing inclusive, responsible and trustworthy AI systems, positioning itself as a leading academic contributor to India’s evolving AI policy and innovation landscape.