UN Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres on Saturday endorsed India as the right host for the AI Affect Summit 2026 beginning Sunday, praising the nation’s rising international affect and profitable financial system. The primary-ever AI summit within the International South might be held from February 16-20, bringing collectively world leaders, tech CEOs, and policymakers to debate synthetic intelligence’s future whereas making certain its advantages attain everybody globally.In an unique interview with PTI, Guterres strongly backed India’s initiative, saying “I strongly congratulate India for organising this Summit. It is completely important that AI develops itself to the advantage of everyone, all over the place and that international locations within the International South are a part of the advantages of AI.”

The UN chief warned towards AI turning into a privilege of developed nations or restricted to superpowers just like the US and China. He emphasised that AI should function “a common instrument for the advantage of humankind.”Talking about India’s function in international affairs, Guterres praised the nation’s place as a key rising financial system. He highlighted current developments like India’s commerce settlement with the European Union as constructive steps towards true international multipolarity. “The function of India, (which) is right now a really profitable rising financial system that’s having a much bigger and larger function in not solely the worldwide financial system however in its affect in international affairs, India is the proper place to have this Summit and to guarantee that AI (is) being mentioned in depth, in all its monumental potential and in addition in all its dangers, however that AI belongs to the entire world and never solely to a couple,” he mentioned.Additional praising India, he added, “I see India within the centre of these rising economies, and that is one thing I might be delighted to debate with Prime Minister Modi as a result of I’ve plenty of hope for the function that India can play in shaping this multipolar world.”The UN chief expressed his “frustration” with the Safety Council’s ineffectiveness and referred to as for basic reforms to raised signify right now’s world, referring to India taking part in a central function in shaping a multipolar world order.“There are two issues we have to keep away from on the planet. We have to keep away from the system in which there’s whole hegemony by just one energy or a system wherein the world is split between two superpowers,” Guterres additionally mentioned.Guterres additionally shared his private appreciation for India, describing his fascination with the nation’s wealthy historical past and cultural affect. He talked about how he is at the moment studying about India’s historic affect on varied areas, from China to Southeast Asia and even the Mediterranean through the Roman Empire.The summit will see presence from varied world leaders, together with French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and tech leaders like Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.The summit may even function different UN leaders, together with Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk and Know-how Envoy Amandeep Singh Gill, specializing in the summit’s core themes of ‘Folks, Planet and Progress’.