AI Leadership Rooted in Trust and Talent
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Bhaskar Chakravorti, Dean of Global Business at The Fletcher School, Tufts University, spoke on “Human Flourishing in the Age of AI.” He emphasised that technological superiority alone will not determine AI leadership. Instead, nations must invest in digital public infrastructure, trust frameworks and strong talent pipelines.
He observed that India’s experience in building inclusive, population-scale digital systems gives it a distinct edge in designing AI systems that are equitable and accessible. The idea of forming a Global South coalition for transition infrastructure also featured prominently in his address.
His remarks resonated with India’s broader digital transformation journey, including initiatives built around digital public goods and inclusive governance.
Government’s Vision for AI-Enabled Skilling
Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, MSDE, actively participated in the session and engaged with stakeholders. She highlighted the need to align AI skilling efforts with national development priorities while ensuring inclusivity and industry relevance.
During her visit to the Skill India Pavilion, she interacted with exhibitors showcasing innovations in digital learning, AI-enabled training and outcome-driven skill development models. She appreciated efforts to integrate emerging technologies into mainstream skilling frameworks.
Panel Discusses Institutional Preparedness
The panel discussion, moderated by Sidharth Madaan, Partner and Managing Director at BCG, examined how AI is reshaping workforce pathways and institutional readiness. Industry and policy leaders shared insights on balancing innovation with responsibility.
Arunkumar Pillai, CEO of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), underlined that AI is not just a subject to be taught but a transformative delivery tool. Through AI awareness initiatives, the SOAR programme and AI-powered features within the Skill India Digital Hub, learners now access personalised pathways and real-time labour market insights.
Dr. Neena Pahuja outlined a three-tier capability framework AI for All, AI for Many and AI for Few aimed at building foundational literacy and advanced specialisation. She noted that SOAR registrations have crossed two lakh learners and highlighted the introduction of nano-credentials and modular qualifications aligned with the National Credit Framework. Industrial Training Institutes are also integrating short-duration AI modules to boost productivity across traditional trades.
Rakesh Kaul, Technology Consulting Partner at EY, stressed that institutions must proactively anticipate AI-driven shifts in work patterns. Responsible innovation and risk preparedness, he argued, are central to sustainable adoption. Yolynd Lobo of Google Cloud India emphasised expanding domestic compute capacity and strengthening value chain partnerships to ensure inclusive growth across sectors from agriculture to creative industries.
Technology in Action
The session concluded with a live demonstration by Sunil Kumar, Lead Engineer – Machine Learning at Google. His presentation on scaling creative workflows using generative AI models showcased how production-ready digital assets can be developed efficiently, transforming conceptual ideas into scalable applications.
The demonstration underscored the practical potential of AI in driving productivity and innovation across industries while reinforcing the importance of ethical deployment.
A Collaborative Way Forward
The discussions culminated in a shared commitment among government, academia and industry to build a human-centric AI ecosystem. Participants agreed that India’s competitive advantage lies not only in its technology capabilities but in its demographic dividend and institutional frameworks.
As India advances its AI ambitions, the integration of trust-based governance, inclusive talent development and responsible innovation will define its global leadership. The Human-Centric AI session at the AI Impact Summit 2026 has clearly positioned Skill India at the heart of that transformation.
