NEW DELHI: The AI Impact Summit concluded here with the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration marking the success of the push by India and other countries in the Global South to frame artificial intelligence as a shared global good rather than an exclusive technological advantage of the rich and developed.Endorsed by 86 countries and two organisations, the declaration sets out a shared global vision for what it calls “collaborative, trusted, resilient and efficient” artificial intelligence, whose potential can be realised “only when its benefits are shared by humanity” and cautioning that “the choices that we make today will shape the AI-enabled world that future generations will inherit”.Signatories span the AI powerhouses of the US and China as well as other technology leaders such as Netherlands, South Korea and the EU.Significantly, Pakistan does not figure in the list.Taiwan, the leading semiconductor manufacturer, appeared to have been left out because of sensitivities of China, which has blocked its presence on international fora.Rooted in the principle of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya” – welfare and happiness for all – a theme PM Modi articulated in his inaugural address on Thursday, the declaration places equity and access at the centre of AI governance, and commits participants to “foster shared understanding, while respecting national sovereignty, on how AI could be made to serve humanity”. For many developing countries, this emphasis addresses long-standing concerns about technology rules being shaped without their participation.The declaration is organised around seven action pillars, or chakras, covering democratising AI resources; economic growth and social good; secure and trusted AI; AI for science; access for social empowerment; human capital development; and resilient, efficient and innovative AI systems. Together, they aim to translate broad principles into coordinated global action.
Human capital development critical to realise AI’s potential
Several voluntary commitments were announced to support this effort. Among them is the Global AI Impact Commons, described as “a practical platform to encourage and enable the adoption, replication, and scale-up of successful AI use cases across regions”.The idea is to allow countries to share proven applications in areas such as public services, development and governance, reducing duplication and accelerating impact. Trust and safety form another core strand, with the declaration stressing that “advancing secure, trustworthy and robust AI is foundational to building trust and maximising societal and economic benefits”. To support this, it takes note of the Trusted AI Commons – a voluntary repository of tools, benchmarks and best practices aimed at helping govts and developers build reliable AI systems across different legal, cultural contexts. With concern for democratisation of AI being one of the drivers of the declaration, it, predictably, emphasises that “removing structural barriers to and increasing availability of AI research infrastructure can promote the use of AI in scientific research and development across countries”. An international network of AI-for-science institutions is expected to link researchers globally and accelerate AI-driven discovery. Human capital development is highlighted as critical to realising AI’s potential. The declaration underlines that “realising the full promise of AI requires equipping individuals with relevant skills”, backing this with voluntary guiding principles for reskilling and a workforce development playbook.
