The India AI Impact Summit 2026 recently commenced in New Delhi, drawing prominent figures like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed these leaders, underscoring India's expanding influence as both an AI market and a talent hub. The five-day event focuses on AI infrastructure, user adoption, and talent development, with expectations for new investment announcements.
During the summit, India committed ₹100 billion, or $1.1 billion, to boost deep-tech AI startups. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that India now accounts for 100 million weekly ChatGPT users, making it the platform's second-largest market after the United States. Furthermore, Anthropic is establishing its first office in Bengaluru, recognizing India as the second-biggest user of its Claude AI. AMD also announced a collaboration with Tata Consultancy Services, while Blackstone is investing in Indian AI startup Neysa.
Beyond India, discussions around AI regulation emphasize a dynamic, continuous approach, treating AI as infrastructure rather than just a product. Key requirements include transparency, traceability, and ongoing risk assessment to ensure fairness and privacy. Philanthropically, Stephen Schwarzman, cofounder and CEO of Blackstone, plans to dedicate his $48 billion fortune to his foundation, highlighting the urgent need for AI preparedness. He previously donated $350 million to MIT for the Schwarzman College of Computing.
In practical applications, Protolabs CTO Marc Kermish advises treating AI like a junior employee, emphasizing proper training to avoid failed initiatives. Protolabs uses AI for tasks like analyzing CAD files and predicting machine maintenance. AI technology will also assist Olympic figure skating judges by using 14 cameras to track movements and measure jump specifics, though it cannot assess artistic elements. Meanwhile, AI companies, including Anthropic and OpenAI, are becoming significant financial players in the 2026 midterm elections, with a PAC named Leading the Future supporting AI-friendly candidates.
Consumer-facing AI tools are also emerging, such as Westlake Royal Building Products' Design Canvas, which uses AI to help homeowners visualize exterior home projects by mapping design regions from uploaded photos. In workflow automation, alternatives to Zapier like Make, Integrately, and Pabbly Connect offer more affordable or specialized options, catering to users seeking efficient and cost-effective solutions for complex scenarios.
Key Takeaways
- India committed ₹100 billion ($1.1 billion) to boost deep-tech AI startups and hosted the India AI Impact Summit 2026, attended by Nvidia, OpenAI, and Google CEOs.
- OpenAI's ChatGPT has 100 million weekly users in India, making it the second-largest market after the US; OpenAI opened a New Delhi office and offers lower-cost options.
- Anthropic is opening its first office in Bengaluru, noting India is the second-biggest user of its Claude AI.
- AMD is collaborating with Tata Consultancy Services, and Blackstone is investing in Indian AI startup Neysa.
- Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone CEO, plans to dedicate his $48 billion fortune to philanthropy, emphasizing AI preparedness, having previously donated $350 million to MIT for AI computing.
- AI regulation should be dynamic, continuous, and infrastructure-focused, requiring transparency, traceability, and ongoing risk assessment.
- Protolabs CTO Marc Kermish advises treating AI like a junior employee, using it for tasks like CAD analysis and predictive maintenance, and predicts AI agents on company org charts.
- AI technology from Omega will assist Olympic figure skating judges by tracking movements with 14 cameras to improve technical scoring, though it won't assess artistic elements.
- AI companies, including Anthropic and OpenAI, are significant financial players in the 2026 midterm elections, with PACs like Leading the Future supporting AI-friendly candidates.
- Westlake Royal Building Products launched Design Canvas, an AI tool for homeowners to visualize exterior home designs, and workflow automation alternatives to Zapier like Make and Pabbly Connect offer cost-effective solutions.
India hosts major AI summit with global tech leaders
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 officially began in New Delhi at Bharat Mandapam, bringing together top technology firms and international policymakers. Leaders like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai are attending the five-day event. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will welcome them, highlighting India's growing role as an AI market and talent hub. The summit focuses on AI infrastructure, users, and talent, with many companies expected to announce new investments. India's strong digital economy and tech-savvy population make it a key player in the global AI landscape.
India AI Summit brings major tech announcements
The India AI Impact Summit is underway, attracting top executives from major AI labs and Big Tech companies. India has earmarked ₹100 billion, or $1.1 billion, for AI investment to boost deep-tech startups. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that India accounts for 100 million weekly ChatGPT users, making it the second-largest market after the United States. Anthropic is opening its first office in Bengaluru, noting India is the second-biggest user of Claude. Other news includes Blackstone investing in Indian AI startup Neysa and AMD teaming up with Tata Consultancy Services.
Regulating AI for a fair and safe future
The future of Artificial Intelligence regulation must adapt to its rapid advancements and focus on the consequences it produces. Regulation should be dynamic and continuous, treating AI as an infrastructure rather than just a product. Key requirements include transparency, traceability, clear explanations, and ongoing risk assessment. Different regions like the EU, US, and China have varied approaches, but all aim to regulate without hindering AI deployment. Regulating AI is essential because it amplifies human abilities and impacts sensitive areas like health and security, requiring fairness, privacy, and non-discrimination.
Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman boosts AI philanthropy
Stephen Schwarzman, cofounder and CEO of Blackstone, plans to dedicate his $48 billion fortune to his philanthropic foundation. The Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation recently hired an executive director to oversee its growth. Schwarzman has long highlighted the urgent need for AI preparedness and its impact on human development and global competitiveness. He previously donated $350 million to MIT in 2018 to establish the Schwarzman College of Computing. Schwarzman intends to transfer a substantial majority of his fortune to the foundation upon his death, inspired by his family's history of helping others.
Treat AI like a junior employee says Protolabs CTO
Marc Kermish, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Protolabs, suggests treating AI like a junior employee rather than a magic solution. He explains that many AI initiatives fail because people expect them to work perfectly without proper training. Protolabs uses AI to analyze CAD files, recommend materials, and predict machine maintenance in digital manufacturing. Kermish notes that overcoming engineer skepticism requires good change management, not just better technology. Protolabs is also experimenting with agentic AI for tasks in marketing, finance, and sales, and he predicts AI agents will eventually appear on company organization charts.
Top 12 Zapier alternatives for workflow automation
This article lists the 12 best alternatives to Zapier for workflow automation in 2026, offering options that are often more affordable or specialized. Zapier is powerful but can be expensive, leading many users to seek other tools. Make, formerly Integromat, is highlighted for its visual workflow builder and ability to handle complex scenarios, often at a lower cost per operation. Integrately is praised for its simplicity and one-click automations, making it ideal for beginners. Pabbly Connect offers a unique lifetime deal, providing thousands of tasks per month for a single payment, appealing to budget-conscious users.
AI companies spend big on 2026 midterm elections
AI companies are emerging as significant financial players in the 2026 midterm elections, similar to cryptocurrency giants in previous cycles. A political action committee named Leading the Future is spending money on primary races to support Democratic and Republican candidates friendly to the AI and tech sectors. This PAC uses specific groups like American Mission for Republicans and Think Big for Democrats. For example, Leading the Future supports Republican Chris Gober in Texas and spent $1.1 million against a candidate in New York. Companies such as Anthropic, OpenAI, and Andreessen Horowitz are involved in this political spending.
AI technology to assist Olympic figure skating judges
AI technology is set to debut at the Winter Olympics to help figure skating judges evaluate fast-twirling moves. Omega, the official Olympic timing and measurement provider, uses 14 cameras to track athletes' movements. This system creates heat maps and measures jump height, length, and rotation, detecting movements invisible to the naked eye, according to Omega CEO Alain Zobrist. Currently, this data is for broadcasters, but judges at international competitions may gain access later this year. While AI can improve technical scoring, it cannot assess the subjective artistic elements of figure skating.
India boosts AI investment as ChatGPT use soars
India has approved a ₹100 billion, or $1.1 billion, government-backed venture capital program to accelerate investment in AI and deep-tech startups. This fund-of-funds will channel public capital through private investors to support early-stage companies and expand startup activity. IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted India's startup count has grown from under 500 in 2016 to over 200,000 today. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman highlighted India's importance, reporting 100 million weekly ChatGPT users, making it the platform's second-largest market after the United States. OpenAI recently opened a New Delhi office and introduced lower-cost offerings for India.
Westlake Royal launches AI tool for home exterior design
Westlake Royal Building Products launched a new website featuring an innovative AI design tool called Design Canvas. This tool helps homeowners, designers, and building professionals easily plan and visualize exterior home projects. Users can upload a photo of their home, and the AI-powered QuickView mapping automatically identifies design regions. They can then mix and match products like siding, trim, stone, and roofing, seeing realistic before-and-after previews. The goal is to create a seamless experience for customers to explore products and bring their design visions to life, with options to save designs and generate product summaries.
Sources
- Global tech giants eye India as AI impact summit kicks off in New Delhi
- All the important news from the ongoing India AI Summit
- What is the future of Artificial Intelligence regulation?
- Blackstone mogul warned of 'urgent need' for AI preparedness—Now he’s turning his $48 billion fortune into a top philanthropic foundation
- Treating AI like ‘a junior employee’: Lessons from Marc Kermish
- Les 12 meilleures alternatives à Zapier pour l’automatisation des flux de travail (2026)
- AI Money Is Coming to a Midterm Near You
- AI could help judge Olympic figure skating
- India Expands AI Investment Push as OpenAI Highlights Rapid ChatGPT Adoption
- See your home's new exterior first: Westlake Royal's AI design tool
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