The AI Impact Summit 2026, held in New Delhi, concluded with 88 countries and international organisations adopting the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact, marking a push for closer global cooperation on the development and use of artificial intelligence.
The declaration sets out a shared vision to promote AI as a driver of economic growth and social good, while stressing that its benefits should be equitably distributed. Anchored in the principle of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya” – welfare and happiness for all – the framework emphasises international collaboration, multistakeholder engagement and respect for national sovereignty.
Countries endorsing the declaration include the United States, China, India, the United Kingdom, Japan and members of the European Union, alongside international organisations such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
The declaration is structured around seven pillars, or “chakras”, including democratising access to AI resources, fostering economic growth, developing secure and trusted AI systems, expanding AI use in science, enabling social empowerment, strengthening human capital and building resilient and energy-efficient AI infrastructure.
As part of the summit’s outcomes, participants took note of several voluntary and non-binding global initiatives aimed at accelerating practical cooperation. These include a Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI to promote affordable access to foundational AI resources, a Global AI Impact Commons to scale successful AI use cases, and a Trusted AI Commons to share tools, benchmarks and best practices for secure AI systems.
Other initiatives highlighted include an international network linking AI-for-science institutions, a platform focused on AI adoption for social empowerment, and a workforce development playbook designed to support skilling and reskilling for an AI-driven economy. The declaration also underscores the need for energy-efficient AI systems, amid growing demands on power and infrastructure.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to voluntary cooperation on AI governance and to translating the declaration’s principles into concrete action. The summit’s organisers said the framework is intended to catalyse long-term international partnerships and position AI as a key enabler of economic transformation. |
