AI Impact Summit: UK Deputy PM Lammy calls it ‘important'; Indian-origin Wales MP says AI must deliver for everyone

The United Kingdom has said that its priority at the upcoming AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on Monday will be to promote the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. The UK delegation, headed by David Lammy and AI Minister Kanishka Narayan, reportedly aims to showcase how AI can drive economic growth, create new employment opportunities, enhance public services, and generate widespread benefits globally.

They plan to emphasise AI’s role as a catalyst for renewal, enabling doctors to make quicker diagnoses, helping teachers tailor learning to individual students, allowing local councils to provide faster services, and supporting businesses in developing the next wave of quality jobs.

"This summit is an important moment in determining how we can work together with our international partners to unlock the full benefits and potential of AI, while baking in robust and fair safety standards that protect us all," said Lammy, in a pre-summit statement.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said India and Britain were "natural tech partners", with software giants like Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Wipro expanding their operations across the UK.

"It can cut waiting times, transform public services, create new jobs and give hard-working communities a fresh start – and that's exactly the message we're taking to the summit. It is central to our plans for delivering national renewal, but its benefits can't and shouldn't be reserved by the few," he said.

The AI minister said the UK is "leading from the front, pushing a global vision for AI that helps people everywhere to learn more, earn more, and shape the future on their terms".

"We are totally aligned in making sure that the people of Britain and the people of India get to not just look at AI being built by others but build AI and benefit from AI directly," he said.

Besides Delhi, Narayan will also travel to Bengaluru to explore how India and the UK are working together to reap the benefits of breakthrough tech.

Both countries are investing tens of millions in cutting-edge research -- from better batteries and next-generation telecoms for rural communities, to genomic medicine that could tackle rare diseases, the DSIT said.

India is also a vitally important market for British businesses generally, with UK firms generating more than 47.5 billion pounds in revenue from their business in India, it stated.

During the AI Impact Summit this week, the UK is expected to announce new support for an African Language Hub, enabling AI to work in 40 African languages with the aim of making the technology more inclusive and accessible for millions.

This initiative will be one of three new efforts introduced under the more than £100 million AI for Development (AI4D) programme, which was established to help developing nations fully harness the benefits of the AI revolution.

The Asian AI4D Observatory will focus on promoting responsible AI innovation and strengthening governance frameworks across South and Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, the AI4D Compute Hub at the University of Cape Town will provide African innovators with the computational resources required to transform their ideas into real-world solutions.

The AI Impact Summit in New Delhi has been characterized as the first global artificial intelligence event of its kind to take place in the Global South, guided by three core principles, people, planet, and progress, which reflect India’s collaborative vision for advancing AI.