Delhi summit 'important moment' to unlock full benefits of AI, says UK Deputy PM

London: The UK's focus during the AI Impact Summit set to start in New Delhi on Monday will be on championing how artificial intelligence can supercharge growth, unlock new jobs, improve public services and deliver benefits for people around the globe, the British government has said.

The UK delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and AI Minister Kanishka Narayan, is keen to highlight how AI can improve everyday life in every corner of the world and make the case for AI as an engine of renewal that can help doctors diagnose faster, teachers personalise learning, councils deliver services in minutes and businesses create the next generation of good 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. "AI is the defining technology of our generation, and we're determined to make sure it delivers for everyone," said Narayan, the first Indian-origin MP from Wales.

"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 will be one of three new initiatives being announced as part of the more than 100 million pounds AI for Development (AI4D) programme, created to ensure that developing countries benefit fully from the AI revolution.

The Asian AI4D Observatory will be geared towards supporting responsible AI innovation and governance across South and Southeast Asia, and the AI4D Compute Hub at the University of Cape Town will give African innovators the compute power they need to turn ideas into impact.

The AI Impact Summit in New Delhi has been described as the first international artificial intelligence gathering of its kind to be held in the Global South, anchored around three Sutras of people, planet and progress as India's approach to cooperation in the field.