UN chief to attend AI Impact Summit in India as Global South shapes AI governance

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will travel to India next week to participate in the AI Impact Summit 2026, a major global gathering on artificial intelligence that will be held in the Global South for the first time at this scale.

The Summit, organized by India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will take place in New Delhi from 16 to 20 February. It will bring together governments, international organizations, industry leaders, academics and civil society to examine how artificial intelligence can be harnessed responsibly to advance sustainable development.

AI and the Sustainable Development Goals

More than 30 events organized by the UN system are scheduled during the five-day summit, and will include sessions on AI for resilient agriculture, health systems innovation, ethical AI governance, women’s leadership in technology, digital capacity-building in the Global South and responsible business practices.

“We need shared understandings to build effective guardrails, unlock innovation for the common good, and foster cooperation,” Mr. Guterres said ahead of his visit.

UN officials say the discussions will focus on how AI can accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals while safeguarding human rights and addressing emerging risks. 

High-level UN delegation

The Secretary-General will be joined by senior UN leaders, including Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Amandeep Singh Gill, Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies; and Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Also participating are Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Gilbert F. Houngbo, Director-General of the International Labour Organization; and Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union.

Senior representatives from UNDP, UN Women, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNFPA, FAO, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute will contribute to discussions across the Summit agenda.