India AI Impact Summit 2026

from-promising-pilots-to-system-shifts-what-it-really-takes-to-scale-responsible-ai-in-education

7 min read

TRACK:Safe and Trusted AI
SPEAKERS
  • Elmo Domino Jose, Education Center for AI Research (E-CAIR)
  • Felicity Rose Burgess, AI Observatory & Brink
  • Margarita Maria Luz, AI Observatory & Brink
  • Ranjitsinh Disale, Ranjitsinh Disale Foundation
SESSION OVERVIEW

As opposed to theoretical concepts and ideas, this session will share practical insights that are already driving change in education. Panellists will demonstrate how AI can move from pilot to adoption in low- and middle-income countries in under a year.

VIDEO RECORDING

From Promising Pilots to System Shifts: What It Really Takes to Scale Responsible AI in Education

Abstract

The session began with a sweeping historical framing of AI as the seventh‑largest wealth‑creation opportunity of the modern era, stressing the need for speed and adaptability. A diverse panel of founders, corporate innovators, and international policy‑makers then explored how India can move AI pilots in education—and broader social sectors—from proof‑of‑concept to systemic adoption, highlighting public‑private partnership models, responsible‑investment criteria, and inclusive talent pipelines. The discussion culminated in a global round‑table that outlined concrete pathways for Indian startups to collaborate with Korean, UK, and French AI ecosystems, positioning India as an emerging AI OEM rather than merely a services hub.

Detailed Summary

Speaker: Elmo Domino Jose (Education Center for AI Research)

  • Opened with a personal narrative of growing up in a middle‑class Indian family that prized education and a desire to “challenge the status quo.”
  • Drew a macro‑historical parallel: the rise of California’s gold rush (1850), the Industrial Revolution, post‑WWI/II economic booms, and the recent ascent of China as a manufacturing hub.
  • Positioned AI as the seventh major man‑made wealth‑creation wave since the 1750 Industrial Revolution, estimating a potential $450 bn of new wealth.
  • Used a wheel‑spoke analogy: 5,500 years passed between the invention of the solid wheel and the spoked wheel; today AI is the “spoke” that will accelerate every technology.
  • Highlighted the speed of modern tech cycles: Windows releases once every ~6 years versus Google/Apple delivering product updates in months; AI demands comparable rapidity.
  • Emphasized adaptation as survival, citing historic examples (shipping vs. aviation, postal service vs. e‑commerce) to argue that AI will displace some jobs but generate far larger opportunities for those who up‑skill.
  • Mentioned contemporary wealth milestones (Rockefeller, potential first trillionaire Elon Musk) to illustrate how data‑centric AI enterprises are reshaping the top of the wealth pyramid.
  • Concluded with a call to the audience: AI is a companion (not just a tool) that can compete with human labor, urging participants to harness its speed, reduced cost of doing business, and democratized access.

2. Transition to Panel – “PPP Model Advancing AI for Good”

  • Moderator Nikhil Agarwal (FITT) announced the shift to a public‑private partnership (PPP) panel, introducing the first four panelists: Manju Dasmana (Microsoft), Nilashi Shukla (Stride Ventures), Rohan Chetwal (Maruti Suzuki), and Sandeep Nelwal (likely Sandeep Agarwal, Polygon Foundation).
  • Logistics note: each panelist was allotted ~20 minutes for a rapid‑fire showcase of their best‑practice use‑case.

3. Polygon Foundation – “From Crypto‑for‑Impact to Health‑Sector Aid”

Speaker: Sandeep Agarwal (Polygon Foundation)

  • Described the origin of the “Blockchain for Impact” foundation during the 2021 crypto‑boom, initially a donation address for crowd‑sourced relief.
  • Highlighted $500 M‑plus fund built through global crypto‑community contributions.
  • Emergency‑relief achievements: 800 crore (≈ $100 M) donated to Indian hospitals; arranged 116 million syringes (≈ 12 crore) in partnership with UNICEF, enabling one‑third of India’s first‑wave COVID‑vaccinations.
  • Shifted focus to research & development, using the foundation to back AI‑enabled solutions in health logistics.
  • Emphasized the dual impact model: wealth creation for founders combined with large‑scale social benefit.

4. Maruti Suzuki – “Startup Collaboration at Scale”

Speaker: Rohan Chetwal (Maruti Suzuki)

  • Outlined Maruti’s innovation‑through‑startup strategy launched in 2019: partner with early‑stage AI & deep‑tech firms rather than hiring internal talent.
  • Metrics: screened > 6,000 startups; engaged > 200; 32 have become tier‑1 suppliers; $200 crore of work assigned to these partners.
  • Case study: a privacy‑X‑ray startup helped Maruti comply with Indian data‑privacy regulations (GDPR‑like), leading to a 15× valuation uplift from INR 10 crore to > INR 300 crore.
  • Stressed the win‑win: startups receive scale, Maruti gains agility and cutting‑edge solutions (e.g., AI‑driven predictive maintenance).

5. Microsoft India – “Unnati AI Programme & Inclusive Innovation”

Speaker: Manju Dasmana (Microsoft India)

  • Framed Microsoft’s role as a social‑impact leader rather than a pure tech vendor.
  • Presented Unnati AI (AI for Development & Good) – supporting 10 Indian AI‑for‑Good startups with mentorship, funding, and market access.
  • Highlighted inclusion focus: ensuring AI benefits tier‑2/3 towns and rural girls; partnership with FITT/Unnati to build talent pipelines outside metros.
  • Stressed the need to avoid a “survival‑of‑the‑fittest” scenario where only well‑connected firms profit; AI must be democratized.

6. Stride Ventures – “Responsible‑AI Investment Criteria”

Speaker: Nilashi Shukla (Stride Ventures)

  • Described a multifaceted investment thesis:

    1. Commercial scalability – core fiduciary requirement.
    2. Responsible governance – bias mitigation, ESG compliance, especially when AI decides credit for MSMEs.
    3. Risk assessment layers – policy risk, market‑scale risk, off‑take risk.

  • Emphasized the value of corporate pilots: early‑stage startups can be validated on real‑world use‑cases, de‑risking later equity investments.

7. Rapid‑Fire Q&A – “Priorities for Responsible AI in India”

Speaker: Sandeep Agarwal (Polygon Foundation)

  • Identified three priority actions for India:

    1. Deepen capital‑market depth – attract more venture capital, reduce reliance on government subsidies.
    2. Create a high‑quality VC ecosystem – transparent, founder‑friendly, with global‑class term structures.
    3. Leverage Indian talent – once funding is abundant, Indian founders will automatically scale globally.

  • Critiqued bureaucratic “energy drain” in government programs and advocated for a pure‑capital‑market route.

8. International Round‑Table – “Global AI Partnerships”

a. Korea (COSME)

Speaker: Jae Kyung Lee (Director, COSME – Korea SME AI Agency)

  • Synopsis of Korea‑India AI start‑up exchange: matchmaking events, policy‑backed financing, export‑support programs.
  • Highlighted structured globalization: Korean SMEs receive government‑backed validation, technology transfer, and market‑entry assistance in India.

b. United Kingdom (UKRI)

Speaker: Dr Zile Aman (Senior Program Manager, UKRI)

  • Outlined UK‑India Advanced Connectivity & Innovation Centre (joint R&D hub) focusing on AI for telecom networks.
  • Described joint funding mechanisms (UK & Indian ministries co‑funding AI start‑ups) and non‑monetary support: global incubators, TRL/MRL‑specific programs, and partnership with T‑Hub.

c. France (Business France)

Speaker: Anna (Deputy Head for Industries, Business France)

  • Presented France 2030 (€2.5 bn deep‑tech fund) and the presence of 600+ AI start‑ups in France, including 77 generative‑AI firms.
  • Stressed strategic complementarities: low‑carbon energy and data‑center capacity in France align with large AI‑model workloads; highlighted French Tech Visa for Indian talent.

d. India – Manufacturing & Mobility

Speaker: Priya Kapoor (Non‑Executive Director, Sona Comstar)

  • Detailed AI‑enabled manufacturing roadmap (2024‑2027): precision manufacturing, predictive maintenance, ADAS, autonomous driving, and robotics.
  • Emphasised AI as an empowerment tool for workers (e.g., reduced manual risk on railways) and supply‑chain visibility, enabling “autonomous optimisation.”

9. Closing Remarks & Logistics

  • Moderator thanked all partners (Polygon Foundation, Microsoft CSR, Stride Ventures, Maruti Suzuki, FITT, IIT Delhi).
  • Announced photograph session, urged speakers to stay on stage for a group photo, and invited attendees to network.
  • Brief logistical notes about name‑plates and networking guidelines.

Key Takeaways

  • AI is the seventh historic wealth‑creation wave; its speed demands a sprint‑mindset akin to the tech‑product cycles of Google/Facebook.
  • Public‑private partnership (PPP) models—exemplified by Microsoft’s Unnati AI, Maruti’s startup‑supplier pipeline, and Polygon’s crypto‑for‑impact fund—are the fastest routes to scaling pilots into systemic impact.
  • Inclusive talent pipelines (FITT, Unnati, French Tech Visa) are essential to avoid a “survival‑of‑the‑fittest” where only urban, well‑connected actors benefit.
  • Responsible‑investment frameworks must blend commercial scalability with ESG and bias‑mitigation criteria; early corporate pilots de‑risk equity bets.
  • Capital‑market depth is the single biggest lever for Indian AI entrepreneurship: more VC, transparent term structures, and reduced bureaucratic friction will unlock global‑scale growth.
  • International collaboration (Korea’s COSME, UKRI’s joint R&D centre, France’s deep‑tech fund and energy‑low‑carbon ecosystem) provides validation, financing, and market‑entry pathways for Indian AI start‑ups.
  • AI for manufacturing & mobility is moving from data‑analysis to embedded, safety‑focused robotics that empower workers while increasing efficiency (Sona Comstar case).
  • Strategic vision: Position India as an AI OEM (original equipment manufacturer) rather than a pure services exporter, by building end‑to‑end AI stacks, standards, and supply‑chain synergies.
  • Actionable next steps for participants: engage with FITT/IIT‑Delhi for mentorship, explore partnership channels with Microsoft/Maruti/Stride, and leverage international programs (COSME, UKRI, Business France) for pilot scaling.

Prepared by the AI Conference Summarisation Team, 24 Feb 2026.

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