Harnessing AI's Power to Transform Generations: Insights from the India AI Impact Summit 2026

In a compelling address at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Harish Krishnan, Managing Director and Chief Policy Officer at Cisco Systems India, underscored the profound impact of artificial intelligence on future social welfare. He highlighted AI's role in enhancing human skills and its wide-scale application in sectors like agriculture and security.

Krishnan elaborated on Cisco's ambitious 'Krishi Mangal' program, demonstrating AI's vital role in empowering over 44,000 women farmers through income-boosting innovations in multiple languages. He further discussed AI's utility in governance and civil security, citing examples such as its use in Tihar prison for inmate monitoring.

Premiering new AI strategies on an international platform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo to a reception of global delegates. Held in New Delhi, this landmark summit, the first of its kind in the Global South, gathered leaders from 20 countries, including France's Emmanuel Macron and Brazil's Lula da Silva, to explore AI's transformative capabilities in governance and sustainable development.