India Sets Guinness Record with 250,946 AI Responsibility Pledges

India has entered the Guinness World Records after receiving 250,946 valid pledges within 24 hours for its nationwide AI Responsibility campaign — the highest number ever recorded for such an initiative.

Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, announced the achievement during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The record was officially verified by Mr. Pravin Patel, Guinness World Records Adjudicator, who confirmed that the pledges were collected between February 16 and 17, 2026.

Campaign Far Exceeds Target

The campaign, launched under the IndiaAI Mission in collaboration with Intel India, initially aimed to secure 5,000 pledges. Instead, it surpassed expectations nearly fiftyfold, reflecting widespread citizen engagement — particularly among students and young professionals.

The initiative mobilised citizens through the dedicated portal aipledge.indiaai.gov.in, encouraging them to commit to the ethical, inclusive and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence.

Participants engaged with scenario-based questions addressing:

• Data privacy and protection

• Transparency and accountability

• Ethical AI deployment

• Combating misinformation

• Responsible innovation practices

Upon completing the pledge, participants received a digital badge and access to curated AI learning pathways, reinforcing skill development alongside ethical awareness.

Youth at the Centre of Responsible AI Vision

Addressing the media, Minister Vaishnaw credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of empowering youth to use AI responsibly.

"It is his vision that inspired us to reach out to colleges, engage with faculty members, and encourage students to take this pledge to use AI as a tool for the good of society — as a technology that improves our lives — and to ensure it is used responsibly," Vaishnaw said.

"A special round of applause to the 250,000 students who have taken this pledge. This is truly a proud day for the country. This is the direction in which the nation must move — towards a future where AI is embraced with responsibility."

Broad Institutional Participation

The announcement ceremony was attended by senior government and industry leaders, including:

• Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY)

• Shri Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY; CEO, IndiaAI Mission; and DG, NIC

• Ms. Kavita Bhatia, COO, IndiaAI

• Mr. Srinivasan Iyengar, SVP and GM, Central Engineering Group, Intel

Their presence underscored the strong public–private collaboration driving India's AI governance framework.

Citizen-Led Digital Responsibility Milestone

Minister Vaishnaw highlighted that the record-setting participation signals growing public awareness around AI ethics and responsible innovation.

He described the campaign as a landmark in citizen-led digital responsibility and a demonstration of India's ambition to shape the global AI discourse through a model rooted in inclusion, transparency and trust.

As India accelerates its AI ecosystem development — spanning startups, public infrastructure, research and digital public goods — the pledge campaign reinforces a parallel commitment to ensuring that technological advancement remains human-centric and ethically grounded.

The Guinness World Record achievement marks not just a symbolic milestone, but a broader national movement positioning India as a global leader in responsible AI adoption.