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‘AI can do many things, but can't fix Delhi's traffic’: Rishi Sunak's banter at AI summit
Sunak said that there was no better place to discuss AI tranformation than India, while highlighting that it can work for the “developing world” too.
Former British prime minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday participated in an interactive session at the India AI Impact Summit, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.
During the interaction, Sunak took onus for starting the session a few minutes late and apologised to the audience gathered for the delay in his arrival at the venue. The former British PM also poked fun at the traffic snarls in Delhi.
“Sorry we're a few minutes late and it's entirely my fault. AI can do many things as we found out this week, but it can't yet fix Delhi's traffic,” Sunak said at the beginning of the session.
‘No better place to discuss AI transformation than India’: Sunak
Earlier today, Sunak said that there was no better place to discuss AI tranformation than India, while highlighting that it can work for the “developing world” too.
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Addressing the AI Impact Summit as a keynote speaker, Sunak said, “We do need a regular forum, where we can all meet and discuss this technology, and that is what this Summit provides under Prime Modi's leadership. This summit will deliver impact; it will show us how we can make AI work, not just for the developed world but for the developing world too.”
The former British PM said the summit would show how AI can improve health and education “in every corner of the globe.” “There is no better place to discuss this AI transformation than India,” Sunak added, according to ANI news agency.
Sunak says India ‘well positioned to be a leader in AI’
During an interactive session on Wednesday at the summit, Sunak spoke about AI being viewed from different lenses in different parts of the world. He said that regarding AI, there is “incredible optimism and trust” in India, while for the West, the “overriding feeling is one of anxiety” currently.
He said the AI debate has shifted from “technology to strategy”, in that it has transformed from what these tools can do to what countries are choosing to do with them.
He said that for political leaders, AI needs to become the “central responsibility” and not be treated as a “speciality subject” on the side, PTI reported. “That's what we are seeing at this Summit, with its focus rightly on impact,” Sunak said during the session – 'AI for All: Reimagining Global Cooperation'.
He said that India had recognised that leadership in technology is not just about invention, but also includes deployment. “So, by focusing on mass adoption here, obviously backed by a deep talent pool, strong digital public infrastructure, and a public very supportive of the technology, I think India is well positioned to be a leader in AI and demonstrate its mass adoption and deployment in society,” Sunak said.
