The Paris AI Action Summit is co-chaired by India, France, and leaders from Canada, the United States, China, and other major tech companies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was greeted by President of France Emmanuel Macron. This summit is a big deal for AI (artificial intelligence) future and India has a chance to lead the Global South in AI.

The United States holds a dominant position in AI globally with President Donald Trump’s announcement of an ambitious $500 billion Stargate with Sam Altman and Masa Son on the second day of his second term.

The ongoing Paris AI Action Summit is prioritising six key areas i.e. accessible AI, ethical development, decentralized innovation, the future of work, sustainability, and international cooperation.

Many shared priorities align with India’s and France’s strengths. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) success (like Aadhaar) demonstrates its ability to bridge digital divides, a model it could apply to AI. France aims to highlight Europe’s commitment to ethical and sustainable AI, using its nuclear power infrastructure to support clean AI data centres. Macron also announced a €109 billion investment in AI infrastructure and R&D.

As a co-chair of this Summit, India has positioned itself as a key AI player in the world. The country’s strong economy, 1.4 billion population, and DPI success rate can extend India’s leadership to AI safety and ethics for the Global South.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/paris-ai-action-summit-india-lead-global-south-9829576/