AI Summit 2026: ‘Create in India’ coming 'very soon'; AI must protect, not dilute, creativity, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday that the central government will "very soon" launch a 'Create in India' mission, which will be in line with its Semiconductor Mission. Challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) can be addressed only through a techno-legal approach, he said. The minister also said that leaders across the world will discuss the impact of AI for the coming week. His remarks came as India kicked off the India AI Impact Expo 2026 in the national capital. India is one of the fastest-growing digital markets in the world.

The event -- organised at New Delhi's Bharat Mandapam convention centre -- is being held from February 16 to February 20. Spread across 10 arenas spread across over 70,000 square metres, the AI Summit is set to bring together global technology firms, startups, academia and research institutions, besides Union ministries, state governments and international partners. The summit features 13 country pavilions, include those representing Australia, Japan, Russia, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Innovation without trust is a liability: Ashwini Vaishnav on AI

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"We respect intellectual property, and through this very debate, global capability centres are being developed... We are talking about the impact of AI while safeguarding human creativity. Human creativity needs to be enhanced through AI," he said.

Emphasising the need to strike the right balance between IT and innovation, the minister said: "We need technical guardrails and technical features in the AI. We are very close to the industry to find these technologies."

He also said that the problems arising from AI cannot be resolved through regulation alone.

Highlighting the darker side of AI, the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) spoke about the crisis around the spread of "persistent disinformation, misinformation and deepfakes". There have to be global technical and legal solutions to this problem, and that India is in talks with ministers of more than 30 countries in this regard, he said.

"Innovation without trust is a liability," Vaishnaw said, stating that the government is working on strict regulations to mandate watermarking and labelling of AI-generated content to protect the "authenticity" of human creativity. "Misinformation, Disinformation, deepfakes, they are attacking the foundation of society," he said.

He also said that the menace of deepfakes and data breaches should be "non-negotiable" for the entire country and for the society. "Freedom of speech itself relies on trust, and that trust must be protected," he said.

AI should be used for shaping humanity, inclusive growth, sustainable future: Ashwini Vaishnaw

“The goal is clear," he said, adding: "AI should be used for shaping humanity, inclusive growth and a sustainable future."

Technology and creativity are going simultaneously for the industrial world and the creative world, he said.

'AI here to stay'

The common understanding today, he said, is clear that AI is here to stay.

It is not a threat to human storytelling, but an opportunity for growth, said Vaishnaw.

He also asserted that AI will not replace creativity, but will coexist with it.

Any system that protects human creativity, respects the value creators bring through their work and enhances innovation, rather than diluting it, is a good system, he said.

Create in India Mission

Speaking about the government's upcoming 'Create in India' mission, he said: "We create future ready talent pipeline to meet our upcoming requirements for the next 25 years... There should not be a diluting effect but complementing effect of AI into our lives. Many of the developed countries are looking at it as the benchmark."

He also mentioned that the Budget 2026 announced the establishment of content creator labs in 15,000 schools. The government will be opening these labs throughout the country with the help of the industry, he said.

"We have world's best students in 350 universities in the semiconductors sector; similarly, we will have more students in AI," he noted.

Who's attending AI Summit?

The summit is expected to see participation from 20 heads of state -- including Emmanuel Macron of France and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil -- with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to address a session on Thursday.

Several tech czars will also be in attendance, including:

• Google CEO Sundar Pichai
• Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon
• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
• Microsoft President Brad Smith
• AI scientist Yoshua Bengio

The event marks the first such summit being held in the Global South to discuss the technology developed and dominated by wealthy companies based in rich countries. Previously, the event was held in France, the UK and South Korea.

FAQs related to the article

Q1 What is the India AI Impact Summit 2026?

It is a five-day global summit focused on AI, inclusive growth and responsible innovation.

Q2 Where is the AI Summit being held?

The summit is being held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

Q3 When is the Summit taking place?

The event is being held from February 16 to February 20.

Q4 Why is this Summit significant for the Global South?

It is the first global AI convening of this scale to be organised in the Global South.

Q5 How many applications were received for the Global Impact Challenges?

More than 4,650 applications were received from over 60 countries.

Q6 What are the core pillars of the Summit?

The Summit is anchored on three pillars: People, Planet and Progress.

Q7 What is the main objective of the AI Summit?

The Summit aims to position India as a global platform for responsible, inclusive and development-oriented AI cooperation.