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Mumbai, February 19: JioHotstar has announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI to integrate a ChatGPT-powered voice assistant into its streaming platform. The collaboration aims to transform the user experience from passive browsing to active conversation, allowing viewers to discover content through natural language queries rather than traditional menu navigation.

The new AI-driven interface is designed to address "decision fatigue" by understanding context, mood, and specific user intent. During the official announcement, representatives noted that the technology would support multiple Indian regional languages, ensuring that the conversational discovery tool is accessible to a broad demographic across the country. India AI Impact Summit 2026: Reliance and Jio To Invest INR 10 Lakh Crore Over 7 Years To Lead India's Intelligence Era, Announces Mukesh Ambani.

The integration allows users to speak directly to the app to find specific content, such as family-friendly films or highlights from recent cricket matches. Beyond simple recommendations, the AI assistant will offer deep contextual understanding; for example, a user could ask for "movies about twins" or "quirky comedies," and the system will provide curated suggestions from the JioHotstar library.

The partnership also extends to live sports, a major vertical for the platform. Fans will be able to ask for real-time scores, player statistics, or specific match highlights without interrupting their live stream. This feature is intended to create a more immersive and interactive environment for sports enthusiasts who frequently seek additional data during live broadcasts.

Uday Shankar, Vice Chairman of JioStar, stated that the partnership represents a "fundamental reimagining of the entertainment experience." He emphasised that artificial intelligence is set to disrupt every segment of the media value chain, including production and monetisation. By embedding AI at the core of the platform, JioHotstar aims to lead the digital transformation of the Indian media landscape. India AI Impact Summit 2026: AI Must Not Replace Human Potential but Augment It, Says UN Chief Antonio Guterres.

Fidji Simo, CEO of Applications at OpenAI, highlighted that the collaboration shifts entertainment toward "active engagement," where viewers can move seamlessly from curiosity to context. The rollout of these AI features will occur in phases, starting with select discovery tools. Additionally, the integration will appear within ChatGPT itself, allowing users to receive direct streaming links and recommendations from the JioHotstar catalogue while using the OpenAI interface.

GPT 5.2, as explained by AI Master below, represents a notable evolution in AI-driven content generation, offering enhanced precision and a more literal interpretation of prompts. Unlike its predecessors, this version demands clear and structured inputs to deliver optimal results, making it essential for users to refine their prompting techniques. With updates like improved constraint management and strict adherence to instructions, ChatGPT 5.2 is particularly suited for tasks requiring high accuracy and consistency, such as structured content creation or workflow automation.

In this guide, you'll explore practical strategies to make the most of ChatGPT 5.2's capabilities. Learn how to craft explicit prompts using techniques like verbosity control and router nudges for tailored outputs, or discover how XML structuring can improve clarity in complex tasks. Additionally, gain insights into its refined image generation features, which allow for greater creative control through detailed, multi-component prompts. These approaches will help you achieve more precise and efficient outcomes across a variety of applications.

ChatGPT 5.2 introduces a more disciplined and literal interpretation of prompts, setting it apart from earlier versions. While previous models could infer meaning from vague or incomplete instructions, ChatGPT 5.2 demands clarity and specificity. This shift enhances accuracy but also requires users to refine their prompting techniques to achieve optimal results.

Key updates include:

To adapt to these changes, users must focus on crafting explicit and well-organized prompts, making sure the model can deliver the desired outcomes with minimal adjustments.

To maximize the capabilities of ChatGPT 5.2, adopting advanced prompting techniques is crucial. These strategies can help you craft prompts that yield high-quality outputs tailored to your needs:

These techniques not only enhance the quality of the outputs but also allow you to customize responses for specific tasks or projects.

Browse through more resources below from our in-depth content covering more areas on ChatGPT 5.

GPT 5.2's image generation features have been significantly improved, offering users greater control over the creative process. To produce high-quality images, consider using a six-component formula in your prompts:

For example, instead of a vague prompt like "a cat on a windowsill," try: "A Siamese cat lounging on a sunlit windowsill, overlooking a bustling cityscape, in a photorealistic style." This level of detail ensures the generated image aligns closely with your vision.

GPT 5.2 excels at automating complex workflows, provided tasks are structured effectively. By using its advanced features, you can streamline processes and save valuable time. Here are some strategies to optimize your workflows:

These techniques not only improve the accuracy of outputs but also reduce the need for manual revisions, allowing you to focus on higher-level tasks.

The versatility of ChatGPT 5.2 makes it a powerful tool across a wide range of industries and use cases. Here are some practical ways to use its capabilities:

For instance, if you're managing a marketing campaign, ChatGPT 5.2 can help draft blog posts, create engaging social media captions, and even generate visual assets to support your strategy.

ChatGPT 5.2 introduces several advanced features designed to improve its adaptability and performance in various scenarios:

These features make GPT 5.2 particularly effective for long-term projects or tasks that require strict adherence to detailed instructions.

By mastering these strategies and techniques, you can fully harness the capabilities of ChatGPT 5.2 to enhance productivity, creativity, and precision. Whether you're generating text, creating images, or optimizing workflows, these approaches will help you achieve higher-quality outputs while saving time and effort. Staying informed about the latest advancements in AI technology ensures you remain an effective and proficient user in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

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At AI Impact Summit 2026, Altman projected AGI by 2028, highlighted India's surge, and urged democratic governance to prevent AI power concentration.

At the AI Impact Summit 2026, Sam Altman outlined a near-term path to artificial general intelligence while urging governments and societies to treat democratisation as a core safety strategy, not a side principle.

Altman framed his remarks around two parallel realities. AI capabilities are advancing faster than most forecasts, he said, and the choices societies make in the next few years will determine whether that power expands individual agency or concentrates control

His remarks spanned India's rapid AI adoption, a compressed superintelligence timeline, economic disruption, and the governance models that could shape the outcome.

Altman said 100 million people in India use ChatGPT weekly, with over a third of them students. He added that India is the fastest-growing market for Codex, OpenAI's coding agent.

He pointed to progress in sovereign AI infrastructure and small language models, describing India as well placed to influence how AI evolves within democratic systems.

Altman made a bold projection that early versions of true superintelligence could arrive within two years, potentially by 2028. By the end of that year, he suggested, more intellectual capacity could reside in data centres than outside them.

He acknowledged uncertainty, stating, "We could be wrong, but it bears serious consideration," while noting that AI systems have rapidly progressed from struggling with high school math to handling research-level mathematics.

Altman argued that democratisation is "the only fair and safe path forward." He rejected the idea of concentrating AI power in a single company or country and dismissed what he described as a dangerous trade-off: "Some people want effective totalitarianism in exchange for a cure for cancer. I don't think we should accept that trade-off."

He framed the coming years as a choice between empowering individuals or concentrating power.

Altman expanded the definition of safety beyond technical guardrails. He warned that advanced systems, such as highly capable bio models, could pose societal risks if misused.

He argued that resilience at the societal level must complement lab-level safeguards and called for regulatory frameworks and international coordination similar to those governing other powerful technologies.

Altman said AI will lower costs across sectors, including healthcare, education, and manufacturing. At the same time, he acknowledged that current jobs will face disruption as capabilities expand.

"Very hard to outwork a GPU in many ways," he said, while adding that humans remain deeply driven by creativity, status, and connection. The structure of work may change, but human motivation will persist.

Across his remarks, Altman returned to one central argument: the next few years will determine whether advanced AI strengthens democratic agency or accelerates power concentration. The technology is advancing rapidly. The governance choices, he suggested, will define its long-term impact.

NEW DELHI, Feb 19 -- Sam Altman, head of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, told a global artificial intelligence conference on Thursday that the world "urgently" needs to regulate the fast-evolving technology.

An organisation could be set up to coordinate these efforts, similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), he said.

Altman is one of a host of top tech CEOs in New Delhi for the AI Impact Summit, the fourth annual global meeting on how to handle advanced computing power.

"For an obvious example, there'll be extremely capable biomodels available open-source that could help people create new pathogens, he said on stage.

"We need a society-wide approach about how we're going to defend against this."

Frenzied demand for generative AI has turbocharged profits for many companies while fuelling anxiety about the risks to individuals and the planet.

"Democratisation of AI is the best way to ensure humanity flourishes," Altman said, adding that "centralisation of this technology in one company or country could lead to ruin".

"This is not to suggest that we won't need any regulation or safeguards," he said.

"We obviously do, urgently, like we have for other powerful technologies."

Many researchers and campaigners say stronger action is needed to combat emerging issues, ranging from job disruption to sexualised deepfakes and AI-enabled online scams.

"We expect the world may need something like the IAEA for international coordination of AI," with the ability to "rapidly respond to changing circumstances", Altman said.

"The next few years will test global society as this technology continues to improve at a rapid pace. We can choose to either empower people or concentrate power," he added.

"Technology always disrupts jobs; we always find new and better things to do."

Generative AI chatbot ChatGPT has 100 million weekly users in India, more than a third of whom are students, he said.

Earlier on Thursday, OpenAI announced with Indian IT giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) a plan to build data centre infrastructure in the South Asian country. -- AFP

New Delhi, Feb 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Karnataka showcased its growing strength in Artificial Intelligence and deep technology at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, with Minister for Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Science and Technology Priyank Kharge presenting the state's achievements before global industry leaders on Thursday.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of the summit in New Delhi, Kharge said on Thursday, Karnataka continues to maintain a leading position in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector and is emerging as a key hub for innovation-driven growth.

He noted that global AI companies such as Harvey AI and Anthropic have already established their presence in the state, while The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bengaluru.

"Bengaluru is among the top global destinations for AI talent. The state government is encouraging startups by providing grants of up to Rs 1 crore. To ensure responsible use of AI, Karnataka remains in close engagement with global leaders and researchers in this field," Kharge said.

During the summit, the Minister held extensive discussions with global industry leaders, researchers and startup founders on technology partnerships and innovation opportunities.

Kharge also witnessed the signing of an agreement between H Company and St. John's Medical College and St. John's Research Institute, Bengaluru, for the pilot implementation of advanced enterprise AI solutions in hospital operations.

He participated in a roundtable meeting organised by the US-India Business Council, where discussions focussed on strengthening technology collaboration, investment partnerships and innovation-led growth between Karnataka and global enterprises.

"At the meeting, we reiterated the state government's commitment to providing a conducive environment for American companies to expand their operations and drive innovation in Bengaluru," Kharge said.

The Minister also met high-level delegations from Finland and Cyprus and discussed avenues for cooperation. He visited the Karnataka Pavilion and the ARTPARK Pavilion at the summit and interacted with heads of various startups.

Priyank Kharge further said he held discussions with Anthropic Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei on deepening collaboration in the field of AI.

Kharge met Amodei along with Anthropic's India Managing Director Irina Ghose and Bengaluru-raised Chief Technology Officer Rahul Patil during his engagements on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit.

Describing the interaction as productive, the Minister said the discussions focussed on responsible AI, digital governance, data sovereignty and a structured approach to skilling, incubation and innovation support for AI startups and developers.

He said the conversation also covered Anthropic's plans for its Bengaluru office and potential areas of partnership with the Karnataka government.

"It was interesting to hear about Anthropic's plans for its Bengaluru office, and we look forward to working closely as we build a responsible and globally-competitive AI ecosystem together," Kharge said.

The meeting is part of the state government's broader efforts to position Karnataka as a leading global hub for AI by fostering collaboration with international technology companies and strengthening support for startups and research institutions, he stated.

The inside story on the Asia tech trends that matter, from Nikkei Asia and the Financial Times

Hello, this is Kenji, presenting this week's #techAsia newsletter from Tokyo. While most other places in this part of the world are celebrating Lunar New Year, Japan is a major exception, having ...

A brief on-stage moment at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi has drawn attention after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei raised clenched fists instead of holding hands during a group photograph with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other technology leaders.

The summit brought together top global AI executives, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Meta's AI leadership, alongside policymakers to discuss India's growing role in artificial intelligence.

At the end of a session, leaders assembled on stage for a customary photo-op. As Prime Minister Modi and several executives joined hands and raised them together -- a gesture typically seen as symbolic of unity -- Altman and Amodei lifted their fists separately.

The playful exchange underscored the growing rivalry between OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, and Anthropic, headed by Dario Amodei.

Anthropic was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives, including Amodei, who previously served as OpenAI's Vice President of Research. The split reflected differing philosophies around AI safety, governance, and commercial strategy. Anthropic positions itself as a safety-focused AI lab, emphasizing alignment and responsible development through its Claude model family.

OpenAI, meanwhile, has pursued rapid product deployment alongside safety research, bringing ChatGPT and enterprise AI tools to market at scale. The companies now compete directly in foundation models, enterprise partnerships, and government engagement, with both seeking leadership in the race toward artificial general intelligence (AGI).

The Global AI Impact Summit in New Delhi is a high-level convening of policymakers, technology executives, researchers, and startup founders aimed at shaping the future of artificial intelligence.

The summit focuses on AI innovation, regulation, safety frameworks, public-private collaboration, and India's ambitions to become a global AI hub. With India rapidly expanding its digital infrastructure and AI ecosystem, the event signals the country's intent to play a central role in global AI governance discussions.

AI SEO strategy designed for citations, recommendations, and "answer-first" discovery across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity and AI Overviews.

Awilix.ai announced the launch of a new GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) strategy built to improve how often brands are mentioned, cited, and recommended inside LLM-generated answers.

We cracked the LLMs codes. "

As discovery shifts from "10 blue links" to AI-generated summaries and conversational search, ranking is no longer the only battleground. The new Awilix GEO approach focuses on LLM visibility, answer extraction, and citation eligibility -- so brands become the option AI systems confidently surface when users ask "what should I choose?" or "who's best for this?"

Also Read: AiThority Interview With Arun Subramaniyan, Founder & CEO, Articul8 AI

What Awilix changed with GEO!

-Awilix designed GEO as an engineering-style system, not a checklist:

-LLM Visibility Audit: prompt sets and competitive benchmarks to map current "share of voice" in AI answers

-LLM Source Identification: mapping the domains, pages, and source patterns LLMs use for your topic, then targeting the gaps

-Entity Clarity Layer: consistent positioning signals (who you are, what you do, for whom, proof) across pages and the wider web footprint

-Citable Content Architecture: pages built for AI extraction (definitions, comparisons, decision frameworks, FAQs, proof blocks)

-Technical AI SEO Reinforcement: structured data, internal linking, indexation hygiene, canonical consistency, and LLM-ready assets when relevant (e.g., llms.txt)

-Source Partnership Strategy: earning inclusion in the sources LLMs trust through PR, data publishing, and partnerships with relevant publishers and industry platforms

-Iteration Loop: continuous testing and refinements based on what LLMs actually return (mentions, citations, source selection)

"A repeatable way to get picked by AI"

"We stopped treating LLM visibility like a mystery," said Jean-Romain Noël, Founder of Awilix. "GEO is about making your brand easy to understand, easy to trust, and easy to cite. When that happens, the model doesn't just find you -- it chooses you."

India aims to attract more than $200 billion in investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure by 2028, positioning itself as a global hub for AI computing and applications.

According to industry reports, the plan was outlined by India's IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during the government-backed AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The five-day event drew senior executives from major technology companies, including OpenAI, Google and Anthropic.

Most of the expected investment will be directed toward AI infrastructure, including data centres and semiconductor systems.

This amount includes about $70 billion that major US tech companies, such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, have already committed to improving AI and cloud infrastructure in India.

In addition to infrastructure, the government expects around $17 billion in fresh investment into deep-tech startups and AI-driven applications.

To support the push, New Delhi is offering tax incentives, state-backed venture capital, and regulatory support to attract a larger share of the global AI supply chain.

A ₹100 billion (about $1.1 billion) government-supported venture program has been introduced to back high-risk sectors such as AI and advanced manufacturing. The government has also extended the startup eligibility period for deep-tech firms to 20 years and increased the revenue threshold for startup benefits to ₹3 billion (around $33 million).

"We have seen VCs committing funds for dtech startups. We have seen VCs and other players committing funds to big solutions and big applications. We have seen VCs committing funds for further research in cutting-edge models," Vaishnaw said at a press briefing on the sidelines of the summit.

India also plans to expand its shared computing capacity under the IndiaAI Mission. The country currently has access to about 38,000 GPUs and intends to add another 20,000 units in the coming weeks.

Vaishnaw said the next phase of the AI Mission will focus more strongly on research and development, innovation and broader access to AI tools, alongside continued expansion of computing capacity.

However, the strategy faces practical challenges. Large-scale data centres require significant amounts of electricity and water, and infrastructure constraints could slow deployment.

Vaishnaw acknowledged these pressures, pointing to India's growing clean energy capacity, which accounts for more than half of installed power generation, as a potential advantage as demand increases.

Welcome to another year with Motion Control. May it be a happy and healthy one where you can rise to the challenges ahead and still enjoy all the good things we have in this country.

As we continue hurtling into a new year, I thought I would have a look at what technology trends we're in for. Gartner is the leader here; the world takes note of what they say. In their list of the most strategic technology trends for 2026, they say that disruption is accelerating and AI is no longer optional. They came up with ten trends that reflect how leading organisations are responding to complexity and opportunity. There's too many to mention here but it struck me that cybersecurity is a massive issue. I even learnt some new buzzwords.

One of these is 'confidential computing', which is how organisations protect sensitive data. It works by running tasks in secure hardware zones that keep information hidden, even from the infrastructure owners, cloud providers or anyone who can access the machines. It makes me wonder who will actually see this data. By 2029, over 75% of operations will be using confidential computing.

'Preemptive cybersecurity' is also trending as organisations face an exponential rise in threats targeting their networks and data. By 2030, preemptive solutions will account for half of all security spending, as CIOs shift from reactive defense to proactive protection. We often run cybersecurity articles in our online newsbriefs, and it's clear that this is a major threat, but our local companies are rising to the challenge.

'Digital provenance' is another one. Companies are depending more on third-party software, open-source code and AI-generated content checking. They need to be able to confirm the source, ownership and trustworthiness of their software, data and processes. Gartner says that by 2029, those who don't build digital provenance tools will face legal risks that could reach billions of dollars in penalties. Whew, I see yet another pressure coming.

The cloud used to be the answer, but due to growing geopolitical concerns, 'geopatriation' is taking hold. This means moving sensitive company information out of global public clouds into local options such as regional cloud providers, or an organisation's own data centres. As global instability rises, companies are pulling in their horns. By 2030, over 75% of enterprises will move their virtual workloads into systems that reduce geopolitical risk. South Africa is becoming a regional data centre hub, so it will be interesting to see where this goes.

Last year the 'agentic revolution' was the hot buzzword. Rather than just answering questions and generating content, agents take action. In 2026, this will become increasingly normal in everyday life. From automating business decision making to coordinating hectic family schedules, AI agents will handle the 'busy work', freeing us up to focus on the big picture, or simply slow down and enjoy life.

Gartner also shared its top IT future forecasts for 2026 and beyond. I thought some of them were interesting as they show the influence AI is having on our thinking skills, our lives and what employers now expect.

By 2027, 75% of hiring processes will include certificates and tests proving workplace AI proficiency during recruiting. You used to need computer skills to get a job, now you need AI skills.

Studies are showing that AI lowers your cognitive skills. In 2026, weakening of critical-thinking skills through the use of gen AI will push 50% of global organisations to require 'AI-free' skills assessments. Job interviews have always been stressful, but this raises the pressure to a whole new level.

Gartner also highlighted the importance of customer relationship management systems, noting that organisations that fail to adopt multi-agent AI for their processes risk losing competitive advantage as customers increasingly expect rapid, low effort service. By 2028, organisations that use multi-agent AI for customer communications will dominate. We had better be prepared to deal with a chatbot, no more friendly local customer service centres - a sad loss of jobs.

By 2028, 90% of B2B buying will be managed by AI agents, pushing over $15 trillion of B2B spending through AI systems - another loss of jobs, this time buyers. Another sad little note is that by the end of 2026, 'death by AI' legal claims will rise above 2000 because of weak adoption of AI safety controls. AI can push people over the edge.

It's getting harder to make sense out of all this. The best advice I came across is that the future belongs to those who can embrace change, adapt to new realities and leverage technology's potential for positive change.

Virtana announced the latest version of its Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server, bringing full-stack enterprise visibility directly to AI agents and LLMs so machines can understand enterprise operations as complete systems rather than isolated signals. Opening the Virtana platform to a broad ecosystem of AI agents, automation systems, and large language models (LLMs), such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Anthropic's Claude, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot, enables AI to execute full-stack decisions across end-to-end enterprise environments, advancing ... More →

At the India AI Impact Summit, New Delhi, 2026, Emvo has launched voiceSHIELD, India's first open-source secure speech-to-text model designed to protect voice AI systems from malicious inputs in real time. The model addresses growing concerns around voice-based prompt injection, social engineering attacks, and unsafe audio inputs, providing a security-first foundation for enterprises and developers building voice agents, call center platforms, and conversational AI systems.

With the rapid adoption of voice interfaces across industries, organizations are increasingly exposed to new categories of threats that originate directly from audio inputs. Most AI security solutions today focus on text and APIs, leaving voice systems unprotected against manipulation, data extraction attempts, and adversarial speech. Limited visibility and the absence of real-time defenses make voice AI deployments vulnerable in production environments.

VoiceShield provides a strategic solution, enabling organizations to detect malicious speech while simultaneously generating transcripts in real time. Built on the Whisper architecture, the model performs classification and transcription in a single forward pass, achieving low latency between 90 and 120 milliseconds on mid-range GPUs. This allows enterprises to filter or sanitize unsafe audio before it reaches downstream large language models or voice agents.

The model is built for real-time voice security use cases, including call center monitoring, voice assistants, and agentic AI systems. It supports standard audio formats and produces transcripts, threat labels, and confidence scores in a unified output. With approximately 88 million parameters, the system delivers high accuracy and low false-positive rates while maintaining production-grade latency for live voice environments.

Designed as an open-source initiative, voiceShield enables enterprises, researchers, and developers to inspect, test, and improve the model. The system was architected and led by Emvo's CTO and Co-founder, Sumit Ranjan, whose work focuses on sovereign AI development, making models more deterministic and secure through fine-tuning, with an emphasis on responsible innovation. By releasing the system openly, Emvo aims to accelerate responsible AI adoption and strengthen the voice security ecosystem through community collaboration.

"Voice interfaces are becoming the front door to AI systems, but security for voice has been largely ignored," said Vaibhav Anand, CEO of Emvo. "With voiceSHIELD, we are giving the community a real-time, open-source foundation to build secure and responsible voice AI systems at scale."

"Real-time voice security requires fundamentally different architectural choices compared to text-based systems," said Sumit Ranjan, CTO and Co-founder of Emvo. "voiceSHIELD was designed to deliver both speed and reliability, so enterprises can deploy voice AI with confidence while maintaining strong security controls."

"Open-source security models are critical for building sovereign and trustworthy AI ecosystems," said Saurabh Kumar, Head of Growth & Co-founder at Emvo. "By releasing voiceSHIELD we are enabling enterprises and developers to take control of their voice AI security stack while contributing to responsible innovation."

Redpanda announced the availability of new core capabilities in the Redpanda Agentic Data Plane (ADP), including a centralized AI gateway, AI observability and evaluation via OpenTelemetry, AI agents, and unified authentication and authorization. Together, these features form a unified governance layer that allows enterprises to securely connect AI agents and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to live enterprise data with visibility and control. As organizations move from AI experimentation to production, the challenge has shifted ... More →

Each year introduces a wave of technologies positioned as transformative, yet only a small proportion deliver tangible results in the near term. As enterprises, technology suppliers and investors prepare for 2026, the priority is no longer identifying the latest innovations, but determining which are credible, scalable and deserving of focused investment.

An ABI Research whitepaper reviews 62 technology trends across AI, cloud computing, connectivity, cybersecurity, industrial automation, and next-generation digital infrastructure. It highlights the technologies expected to meaningfully influence markets in 2026, as well as those likely to fall short. The assessment draws on ABI Research's market outlooks, enterprise adoption intelligence and analyst expertise. Topics covered include:

* AI reality check: AI use cases and architectures positioned for scale in 2026, versus those likely to remain in trial phases.

* Cloud and infrastructure evolution: The practical direction of enterprise cloud, edge and compute strategies.

* Connectivity and networking: A realistic assessment of 5G, private wireless, Wi-Fi, and satellite connectivity.

* Security and trust: Technologies gaining momentum amid regulatory requirements, AI-driven risk and quantum preparedness.

* Industrial and automation dynamics: Key factors accelerating adoption across manufacturing, logistics and energy.

The report says that the past year has unfolded amid a complex combination of improving macroeconomic conditions and ongoing structural challenges. Inflation has moderated in parts of the world, monetary policy is gradually stabilising, and supply chains are showing greater consistency.

Despite these improvements, geopolitical uncertainty continues to influence technology decision making. Ongoing conflicts and shifting trade and tariff policies have disrupted established norms. At the same time, constraints related to energy supply, climate pressures and persistent skills shortages remain barriers to stronger global growth. Against this backdrop, the technology sector has moved away from emergency response toward a position of measured optimism.

The year is set to be defined by practical, results-oriented change. Across the markets monitored by ABI Research, a clear pattern is emerging. Organisations are prioritising investments where technology can reduce risk, control costs or deliver measurable productivity gains. Broad, aspirational narratives are losing appeal, replaced by a focus on actionable outcomes and solutions that address long-standing operational pain points. What will not scale are overhyped innovations, which are unlikely to generate material impact in 2026.

Artificial intelligence will remain a central topic at the executive level. While generative and agentic AI capabilities will continue to advance, purchasing decisions will increasingly focus on well-defined workflows, automation of routine activities and structured system coordination. In parallel, new cloud deployment models are emerging in response to enterprise demand for sovereign, end-to-end platforms. Across sectors such as logistics, buildings, energy, and manufacturing, organisations are placing greater emphasis on technologies that improve decision making rather than standalone visibility tools.

2026 will represent a period of disciplined modernisation. Organisations that succeed will be those that simplify complexity, deliver demonstrable value and tackle their most immediate operational challenges.

Download the whitepaper from www.instrumentation.co.za/ex/abi_trends_2026.pdf to identify the technology trends most likely to shape 2026 and gain a clear framework for innovation, investment and strategic decision making in an increasingly crowded technology landscape.

NewsVoir

Manipal (Karnataka) [India], February 19: Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, has partnered with OpenAI to integrate advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools across teaching, research, and academic administration. This collaboration aims to enhance learning outcomes, accelerate research productivity, and equip students and faculty with critical AI skills for a rapidly evolving global workforce. MAHE will implement AI-powered tools and resources across its academic programs to support personalised learning, boost critical thinking, and encourage ethical AI use. Faculty will also gain access to advanced AI tools for curriculum planning, research, and innovation.

Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, VSM (Retd.), MAHE, said, "MAHE has always been guided by academic excellence and innovation. Our partnership with OpenAI represents a strategic step toward embedding AI as a transformative enabler across teaching, research, and administration. By integrating advanced AI tools responsibly, we aim to enhance learning outcomes, accelerate research impact, and prepare our students for leadership in an AI-driven world."

The collaboration will focus on building AI literacy across disciplines, ensuring that students from Health Sciences, Technology & Science, Management, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences, and allied fields gain practical exposure to AI applications relevant to their domains. MAHE will also promote interdisciplinary research and innovation using AI to address complex real-world challenges. MAHE will also establish structured AI governance guidelines to ensure responsible, ethical, and transparent governance use of artificial intelligence across academic functions.

The partnership aligns with MAHE's long-term digital transformation roadmap and reinforces its commitment to innovation, industry relevance, and societal impact. With this collaboration, MAHE reinforces its vision of becoming a globally benchmarked, AI-enabled university committed to shaping responsible innovation and future-ready leaders.

About Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is an Institution of Eminence Deemed-to-be University, offering over 400 specialisations across Health Sciences, Management, Law, Humanities & Social Sciences, and Technology & Science. MAHE operates through its constituent institutions across campuses in Manipal, Mangalore, Bengaluru, Jamshedpur, and Dubai.

Renowned for its academic excellence, world-class infrastructure, and impactful research contributions, MAHE has earned strong national and international recognition. In 2020, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, conferred MAHE with the prestigious Institution of Eminence status. Currently ranked 3rd in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), MAHE continues to be a preferred destination for students seeking a transformative learning experience and vibrant campus life, as well as for national and multinational organisations seeking top talent.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)

New Delhi is positioning itself as a central hub for artificial intelligence development and deployment, following a summit convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that brought together global technology leaders and Indian entrepreneurs. The event, themed "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya -- Welfare for All, Happiness for All," signals India's ambition to leverage AI for broad-based economic and social progress.

The summit, held at Bharat Mandapam, attracted key figures from the technology world, including Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet; Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI; Alexandr Wang, Dario Amodei, and Meta's Chief AI Officer. The presence of these leaders underscores the growing interest in India's potential as an AI innovation center and a significant market.

Prime Minister Modi emphasized India's unique advantages in the AI space, citing the country's large population of people, its expanding digital infrastructure, a thriving startup ecosystem, and ongoing research initiatives. He articulated a vision for India not just as a consumer of AI technologies, but as a creator and exporter of AI solutions, encapsulated in the call to "Design and develop in India. Deliver to the world. Deliver to humanity."

The focus on inclusive development is a key differentiator for India's approach to AI. The summit's theme reflects a commitment to harnessing AI's power to address challenges in sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, governance, and enterprise. This emphasis on human-centric progress is intended to ensure that the benefits of AI are widely distributed and contribute to overall societal well-being.

India's digital public infrastructure is a critical enabler of this ambition. The government has been actively investing in initiatives like Aadhaar (a biometric identification system), the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), and the Digital India program, creating a robust foundation for AI applications. These initiatives provide access to data, facilitate digital transactions, and promote digital literacy, all of which are essential for AI adoption and innovation.

The summit also highlighted India's growing startup ecosystem. The country has seen a surge in AI-focused startups in recent years, attracting both domestic and international investment. This vibrant ecosystem is driving innovation in areas such as computer vision, natural language processing, and machine learning. The government is actively supporting these startups through various funding schemes and policy initiatives.

The timing of the summit is significant. Global interest in AI has surged following breakthroughs in generative AI models like those developed by OpenAI. This has led to increased investment in AI research and development, as well as a growing demand for AI talent. India is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend, given its large pool of skilled engineers and its relatively low labor costs.

However, challenges remain. India needs to address concerns around data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the potential displacement of jobs due to automation. The government is working on a National AI Strategy to address these issues and create a regulatory framework that promotes responsible AI development and deployment. The strategy is expected to focus on fostering innovation, promoting ethical AI practices, and ensuring that AI benefits all segments of society.

The summit's success in attracting global tech leaders signals a growing confidence in India's AI capabilities. The country's large market, skilled workforce, and supportive government policies are making it an increasingly attractive destination for AI investment. The event is likely to spur further collaboration between Indian and international companies, accelerating the development and adoption of AI technologies in India and beyond.

Prime Minister Modi, in a post on X, underscored the importance of global collaboration in shaping the future of AI. He expressed confidence that the discussions at the summit would enrich the global discourse on innovation, collaboration, and the responsible use of AI. This emphasis on responsible AI is crucial, as the technology has the potential to both create significant benefits and pose significant risks.

The AI Impact Summit represents a pivotal moment for India's technological ambitions. By positioning itself as a global AI hub, India aims to not only drive economic growth but also to address some of the world's most pressing challenges. The success of this endeavor will depend on continued investment in digital infrastructure, a supportive regulatory environment, and a commitment to inclusive and responsible AI development.

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Sam Altman described India as a rapidly growing AI market with over 100 million weekly ChatGPT users. He announced the 'OpenAI for India' initiative in partnership with Tata Group to build local AI infrastructure and skills

New Delhi: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Thursday said India is witnessing extraordinary growth in Artificial Intelligence adoption, describing the country as one of the company's fastest-growing markets globally.

Speaking to media on the sideline of 'India AI Impact Summit 2026' in the national capital, Altman said India's AI opportunity is amazing. It's great to be here. "This is one of our fastest growing markets in the world. Maybe it's the fastest at this point. It's certainly the fastest for Codex," Altman told reporters.

Altman highlighted that India is now home to over 100 million weekly users of ChatGPT, ranging from students and teachers to developers and entrepreneurs.

"There's more than 100 million people. They use ChatGPT every week," he mentioned. He noted that the scale and speed of adoption in the country underline its growing importance in the global AI ecosystem.

Earlier in the day, Altman announced the launch of the 'OpenAI for India' initiative at the summit. The initiative aims to build infrastructure, strengthen skills and create local partnerships to develop AI solutions tailored for the country. He said the goal is to build "AI with India, for India, and in India."

Under this initiative, OpenAI will collaborate with leading Indian partners, starting with the Tata Group, to expand access to AI and unlock its economic and social benefits. The partnership will focus on building sovereign AI capabilities, accelerating enterprise adoption, investing in workforce upskilling and supporting India's growing AI ecosystem.

As part of OpenAI's global Stargate initiative, the company and Tata Group will work together to develop AI-ready data centre capacity in India. OpenAI will become the first customer of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) HyperVault data centre business, starting with 100 megawatts of capacity and potentially scaling up to 1 gigawatt over time.

Altman said India's strong tech talent base, optimism around AI and government support position the country well to shape the future of democratic AI adoption at scale.

The planned infrastructure will allow OpenAI's advanced models to operate securely within India, ensuring lower latency and compliance with data residency and security requirements.

Many studies indicate that more than 70% of companies are making use of artificial intelligence (AI) internally. In some cases, that means the development of an agentic tool or a customer-facing chatbot to bring efficiencies to a particular workstream. In other cases, it may be more general-purpose uses by employees of widely available AI tools. Increasingly, we see evidence of this in our interactions with our clients. Sometimes a client tells us that they first considered how to address an issue through the use of an AI-assisted internet search, or the formatting of an email or correspondence indicates it was drafted by an AI tool. Other times, a virtual notetaker will simply appear in an online meeting.

While these tools can create efficiencies and reduce costs, managing their use within an organization is critical. By their fundamental nature, their use, even casually, by companies and their employees can introduce significant risks that may not be immediately apparent. This bulletin identifies several of these risks and provides suggestions for their management.

The Threat to Established Legal Rights

In many cases, the use of AI tools requires that information be transmitted by the user to a third party for processing, with the resulting product returned to the user. That element -- the transmission of data outside of an organization -- is an activity that can be at odds with not only traditional best practices for preserving the confidential treatment of information but also the legal requirements for maintaining valuable rights.

For example, to patent technology, it is required that the idea has not been publicly disclosed previously. Consequently, the transmission of confidential information to a third party by virtue of the use of an AI tool could compromise the patentability of an idea. To protect the ability to obtain a patent, the information that is provided to any external AI tool must be carefully controlled. This includes search assistants, conversational chatbots, tools used for web-connected research and creative tools. Notably, this also includes AI notetaking tools that are increasingly used to create efficiency in memorializing and summarizing meetings.

A similar issue arises with respect to preserving solicitor-client privilege. The confidential treatment of information shared between a person or company and their legal counsel is a fundamental principle of law, but this right exists only for so long as the information is not shared with any other parties. Even the use of an AI notetaking tool can mean the end of the protection afforded by the privilege of solicitor-client confidentiality. As a result, there are concerns about the discoverability in litigation of any information that is processed through an external AI tool.

More broadly, there is concern about the loss of confidentiality generally. This presents both the risk to a company of losing confidential treatment of proprietary information as well as the risk of breach of contract where the information has been provided by a third party under the terms of a confidentiality or non-disclosure agreement that prohibits such disclosure. As such, it is critical that companies actively restrict and monitor employee use of these tools to ensure confidential and privileged information remains protected.

The Threat to Personal Information and Security Safeguards

There is growing concern about security flaws that arise when introducing untested technologies into an existing information technology ecosystem. For example, without strong safeguards, it may be possible for bad actors to access systems where a new AI tool's processing is connected to the public-facing internet. Ensuring that all services are vetted closely, like any other major technology procurement process, is vital to protecting companies from unanticipated harms. This concept is further explored in our recent bulletin on AI sovereignty.

There are also concerns that providing certain information, such as personal information, can constitute a breach of statutes that govern the use and disclosure of such information, such as Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Legislators are grappling with how to manage the impact of these powerful tools on individuals, and it should be anticipated that regulations governing the use of personal information with AI tools will expand federally and provincially in the near future. Compliance with some of these, which are likely to be driven by transparency obligations, may require significant lead times to avoid disruption. As a result, informed monitoring of both current and anticipated legal requirements is important.

The Need for Transparency and Human Oversight

While regulatory frameworks around AI continue to develop, a common element in policy discussions is the importance of transparency, such as indicating to a user when they are interacting with a human versus an AI agent in a customer service setting. Even in the absence of comprehensive AI regulations, marketing rules under the Competition Act and consumer protection laws continue to apply and prohibit false or misleading statements. Companies should take great care to meet any disclosure requirements associated with their use of AI systems and use technical documentation to develop appropriate notices to users, such as watermarks or other disclaimers.

There are also many reports of companies producing "hallucinated" reports for clients, where underlying citations or other data are not based on real information. These hallucinations arise generally from the use of publicly available AI tools whose models are intentionally weighted to generate answers that look like the right answer (technically known as "confabulations") to a user prompt, encouraging more use of the tool at the expense of accuracy. To avoid legal risks arising from these hallucinations, such as breach of contract and reputational issues, companies should ensure appropriate human oversight is deployed where AI tools are used to generate outputs.

The Need for Board-level Accountability and Governance

While AI presents many exciting opportunities, its risks must be carefully managed. This means that directors and officers must adapt traditional governance practices to ensure appropriate oversight of AI use.

As a first step, companies should adopt an appropriate AI Governance Policy that provides an ongoing framework for the oversight of this rapidly evolving technology that includes an AI Use Policy to clearly establish expectations for employees, service providers, consultants and other personnel.

Consistent with their fiduciary duties, directors and officers should ensure that they have an appropriate understanding of the technology underlying AI tools in use or contemplated to be used within their organization, how these tools will be applied and the relevant legal constraints.

Companies must be familiar with the applicable regulatory framework and ensure ongoing compliance. They should also remain informed of anticipated developments to avoid challenging transitions to accommodate new regulations.

Companies should understand any contractual restrictions on the use of AI or, indirectly, limitations on the use of third-party data that may be at odds with the use of an AI tool, in order to ensure compliance with all contractual obligations. Companies must also understand the use of AI by any service providers to whom they transmit data and ensure those applications are not inconsistent.

AI tools offer users the chance to realize significant efficiencies. This bulletin is not suggesting that their use will inevitably lead to significant problems; rather, we are noting some of the risks involved in applying these new and rapidly evolving tools and the approaches to governing them that can help manage these concerns.

NEW DELHI: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Thursday said democratisation of Artificial Intelligence is the only fair and safe path forward.

Speaking at the AI Impact Summit, he also said that it is striking how much progress India has made in its mission to put AI to work.

Stating that the "early versions of true super intelligence" could be a "couple of years away", he said, "As we prepare for this possibility, we are guided by three core beliefs. Number one, we believe that democratisation of AI is the only fair and safe path forward. Democratisation of AI is the best way to ensure that humanity flourishes."

US Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Gains as Chipmakers Rally and Treasury Yields Climb Ahead of Fed Minutes

The Indian share market opened on a strong note but quickly reversed due to selling pressure in large-cap stocks. FMCG, auto, metal, and realty shares saw heavy profit booking. Investors likely turned cautious near resistance levels. The Nifty also approached an important support zone, which triggered short-term traders to reduce exposure. This sharp reversal suggests markets are in a consolidation phase rather than a clear uptrend.

2. Why did TCS share price rise?

TCS shares climbed nearly 2% after announcing a strategic partnership with OpenAI. The deal focuses on AI-powered innovation for Tata Group companies and global clients. Investors see this as a long-term growth opportunity, especially in artificial intelligence and digital transformation. The announcement boosted confidence in the IT sector and lifted sentiment across other tech stocks like HCL Technologies and Coforge.

3. Which sectors performed well in the stock market?

The IT and pharmaceutical sectors showed strength even as the broader market declined. TCS led gains in the IT space, supported by positive news flow. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories also gained after announcing an acquisition deal. Mid-cap and small-cap indices rose slightly, showing that investors were selectively buying quality stocks while avoiding overvalued large caps.

4. What are gold and silver prices today?

Gold and silver prices declined as the US dollar strengthened ahead of an important inflation report. On the global market, spot gold and US gold futures both slipped. MCX gold and silver futures also opened lower. The stronger dollar usually puts pressure on commodity prices because it makes them more expensive for buyers using other currencies.

5. What should investors watch in the coming days?

Investors should closely watch the Nifty support zone around 25,550-25,570. A break below this level could lead to further downside toward 25,200. At the same time, stock-specific opportunities remain in the IT and pharma sectors. It is wise to stay balanced, avoid chasing overvalued stocks, and use market dips to accumulate fundamentally strong companies gradually.

NEW DELHI: At the India AI Summit, RazorPay and superU, on Thursday, announced a partnership to launch a real-time agentic payment system combining superU AI's conversational intelligence with RazorPay's payment infrastructure to create a system where transactions close themselves, with zero human intervention.

superU AI's agent conducts a real conversation, qualifying intent, building context, and identifying the right moment to transact. The instant that moment arrives, RazorPay fires a payment link. No sales rep dialling. No customer fumbling through checkout. No delay between decision and payment. The entire sales-to-payment loop, reimagined by superU AI, powered by RazorPay.

Aditya Agrawal, Founder of superU AI and former Data Leader at Tesla, said in a statement, "We built superU AI to make intelligence actionable. Partnering with RazorPay means that action now has a financial backbone. When an agent can not just have a conversation but close a transaction in real time, the entire nature of commerce changes. That's what we've built together, and there's no better place to show the world than the India AI Summit."

The RazorPay x superU AI system is designed to power everyday consumer transactions at a large scale. A user who says "Order me a burger from my usual place" no longer needs to open an app, browse a menu, or enter payment details. superU AI finds the restaurant, places the order, and RazorPay completes the payment. The same intelligence applies to booking a cab, purchasing a flight, paying a bill, or any transaction that today requires multiple taps, apps, and decisions. With superU AI and RazorPay working in tandem, the user simply speaks. superU AI acts. RazorPay pays.

Razorpay said in a statement, "RazorPay has always been about removing friction from payments. Partnering with superU AI takes that mission to its logical conclusion, a world where payment is not a step in the process, but a natural outcome of conversation."

New Delhi, India: Artificial intelligence must be accessible and inclusive, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told world leaders and tech CEOs on Thursday, at a summit focused on the fast-evolving technology.

His call was echoed by UN chief Antonio Guterres, who warned the gathering that AI cannot be left to "the whims of a few billionaires".

"We must democratise AI. It must become a medium for inclusion and empowerment," Modi said, speaking in Hindi.

"We are entering an era where humans and intelligence systems co-create, co-work and co-evolve," he added. "We must resolve that AI is used for the global common good."

Frenzied demand for generative AI has turbocharged profits for many companies while fuelling anxiety about the risks to society and the planet.

The AI Impact Summit is the fourth annual international gathering to discuss how to handle it, following previous meetings in Paris, Seoul and Britain.

Sam Altman, head of ChatGPT maker openai, Google's Sundar Pichai and other tech bosses are speaking on Thursday, but Microsoft founder Bill Gates cancelled just hours before his speech.

'Must belong to everyone'

This year's AI summit -- the largest yet -- has been attended by tens of thousands of people from across the sector, including dozens of world leaders and ministers.

"AI must belong to everyone," Guterres said Thursday, calling on tech tycoons to support a $3 billion global fund to ensure open access to the technology.

"The future of AI cannot be decided by a handful of countries -- or left to the whims of a few billionaires," he said.

Many researchers and AI safety campaigners believe stronger action is needed to combat issues ranging from sexualised deepfakes to AI-enabled online scams and surveillance.

Last year's host, French President Emmanuel Macron, said he was determined to ensure safe oversight of the fast-evolving technology.

"Europe is not blindly focused on regulation -- Europe is a space for innovation and investment, but it is a safe space," he said.

Last year in Paris, US Vice President JD Vance had warned against "excessive regulation" that "could kill a transformative sector".

Big deals

As the first global AI meeting held in a developing country, the five-day summit, which wraps up Friday, has also been a chance for India to boost its position in the booming sector.

The nation expects more than $200 billion in investments over the next two years, and US tech titans have unveiled new deals, investments and infrastructure for the South Asian country this week.

AI agents are gaining traction in the enterprise sector, with 2026 marking a shift towards systems capable of executing complex workflows and supporting operational decision-making. According to global IT consulting and digital services provider SoftServe, adoption is advancing, but large-scale success remains dependent on well-defined processes, clean data, and robust infrastructure.

Agentic AI is increasingly supported by infrastructure investments and enterprise pilots. According to McKinsey & Company, 62% of organisations are experimenting with agentic systems, while 23% are already scaling them, signalling a shift from pilot projects to enterprise-wide implementations.

One of the structural changes highlighted for 2026 is the evolution of the software engineering role. The focus is moving from manual coding towards coordination of hybrid human-AI agent teams, with engineers increasingly becoming coordinators who validate agent outputs and integrate them into complex enterprise processes.

Meanwhile, competition is forming around the developer experience, with vendors prioritising integrated agentic toolsets that allow developers to build and deploy end-to-end autonomous applications within their platforms. If an engineer develops solutions within the ecosystem of Microsoft, Google, or OpenAI, they are likely to remain within that environment over the long term.

The rise of multimodal agents

Another key trend for 2026 is the development of multimodal AI agents. Research efforts are expanding beyond text-based interaction to include processing and interaction with video, audio, 3D environments, and complex digital interfaces.

This enables applications in automated design, UI and UX generation, advanced visual analysis, and early-stage Physical AI concepts.

According to SoftServe, AI agents are evolving from support tools to active participants in enterprise operations and software development processes. However, full autonomy remains limited.

"Each agent still has a human overseeing its activity, validating the results, and integrating the completed work. Real systems in which 'one agent orchestrates other agents' do not yet exist in projects implemented at large scale -- the industry currently lacks clear standards, predictability, and the required level of trust. However, this is clearly the direction in which the ecosystem is heading, and 2026 will make this evolution even more visible," added Bohdan Khomych.

Artificial intelligence presents a critical juncture for global economic equality. Microsoft's Brad Smith highlights the need for infrastructure, skilling, and local relevance to ensure AI benefits all. India is a key focus for AI infrastructure development. This technology can either bridge or deepen the gap between nations.

Electricity became one of humanity's most important general-purpose technologies. It spread across economies, powered every industry, boosted productivity and lifted prosperity wherever it reached. But it did not reach everywhere equally. The first electrical power plant began operating in lower Manhattan 144 years ago, yet 700 million people today still lack access to electricity.

"Now comes AI," said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, warning that artificial intelligence could either narrow the economic divide between the Global North and South, or widen it even further.

Also Read: Superintelligence soon? OpenAI CEO Sam Altman predicts advanced AI could arrive within a few years

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit, Smith framed the global economic gap as fundamentally a technology gap. Just as unequal access to electricity shaped development over the last century, access to AI infrastructure and skills will determine growth trajectories in the next.

"AI, perhaps more than any other technology this century, will play a bigger role either in closing this economic divide or exacerbating it," he said. "That is perhaps the single most important question for us."

To prevent AI from deepening inequality, Smith outlined three priorities: infrastructure, skilling and local relevance.

First, infrastructure. The Global South needs data centres, compute capacity, connectivity and reliable electricity, he said, adding that this will require large-scale capital investment. Microsoft is on track to invest $50 billion by the end of the decade to expand AI infrastructure globally, with India among its largest focus markets.

But public funding alone will not suffice, Smith said. Governments must also help generate demand for AI adoption to "get the wheels of the market spinning," while private capital and technology companies must work alongside them.

Also Read: Mukesh Ambani's Reliance makes Rs 10 lakh cr audacious bet on India's AI prowess

Second, skilling. "Infrastructure is not only hardware. It's not only wires and grids," he said. Countries must equip people with the skills to use AI at scale. That includes retraining existing workers, opening workplaces to AI tools and supporting educators. Microsoft this week announced new initiatives aimed at helping teachers incorporate AI into classrooms.

"It's not just for the next generation. It's for every generation," he said, urging employers to invest in workforce training.

Third, AI must work for the Global South in practical ways. That means improving performance in local languages, where AI systems currently lag English, and applying the technology to pressing regional challenges such as agriculture and food security. Smith pointed to new initiatives, including efforts to support agriculture in India and food security programmes in Africa.

He acknowledged growing anxieties around the future of work. While AI conferences are often filled with enthusiasm, many families are asking what the technology will mean for their children and livelihoods.

"We have something to prove," Smith said. "Not only to communities and countries and our customers, but to ourselves."

Drawing on history, he argued that technological advances have consistently expanded human capability rather than diminished it. He cited the washing machine as an example: by saving time, it raised standards and freed people to pursue more opportunities.

"Human capability is neither fixed nor finite," he said, describing AI as the next "great generator for human curiosity."

Also Read: AI Summit: What cos must do for its workers amid global AI push? Wipro's Rashid Premji answers

Smith also called for greater accountability in global AI governance. Rather than treating each summit as a standalone event, countries should build "bridges" between meetings, set measurable goals and track year-on-year progress.

As the first major AI summit hosted in the Global South, the India gathering carries symbolic and strategic weight, he said. The challenge now is to ensure AI becomes a platform for inclusive growth rather than a driver of deeper divides.

"Let's aim higher not just for technology, but for what technology can do for people," Smith said.

Anthropic has launched Claude Sonnet 4.6, a new version of its Sonnet model, now available across all Claude plans, including Claude Cowork, Claude Code, the API, and major cloud platforms.

The company has also upgraded its free tier to offer Sonnet 4.6 as the default model, which includes features such as file creation, connectors, skills, and context compaction.

According to Anthropic, Sonnet 4.6 introduces a full refresh in areas, including coding capability, computer use, long-context reasoning, agent planning, knowledge work, and design.

The model features a one-million-token context window in beta, enabling it to process larger volumes of information, such as entire codebases or lengthy contracts, within a single request.

Pricing for Sonnet 4.6 remains unchanged from the previous version at $3 or $15 per million tokens.

Early users have reported that Sonnet 4.6 demonstrates significant improvements over prior iterations when performing tasks such as navigating complex spreadsheets or completing multi-step web forms.

In addition, developers with early access indicated a preference for Sonnet 4.6 compared to both its immediate predecessor and Opus 4.5 for tasks involving code consistency and instruction following.

The company states that the new model shows increased reliability in avoiding errors such as false claims of success or hallucinations during multi-step processes.

Benchmark evaluations like OSWorld have tracked steady progress in the Sonnet models' ability to interact with real software through simulated environments without requiring special connectors or APIs.

In business simulation tests like Vending-Bench Arena, designed to measure AI performance in running enterprises over time, Sonnet 4.6 applied strategies that resulted in higher outcomes compared to competitors by shifting focus from capacity investment to profitability at critical stages.

Further updates include expanded support on the Claude Developer Platform for adaptive and extended thinking alongside context compaction (in beta), which summarises older context automatically as conversation length approaches system limits.

On the API side, web search and fetch tools can now autonomously write and execute code to enhance filtering and processing of search results; this is offered together with tools for code execution, memory management, programmatic tool calling, and more.

Anthropic reports that safety assessments found Sonnet 4.6's performance comparable or superior to earlier models in resisting risks such as prompt injection attacks that could influence behaviour via hidden instructions on websites.

Sonnet 4.6 aims to make advanced AI capabilities accessible at a lower price point while maintaining security standards seen in previous Anthropic releases.

"The world is close to unprecedented AI capability that can coordinate at superhuman speed, bringing promise, and concerns for humanity," he said.

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Amodei said advances in artificial intelligence over the past few years have been "absolutely staggering," noting that the summit marked the fourth major global AI meeting since the process began at Bletchley Park in 2023, news agency PTI reported.

ALSO READ | Bill Gates skips AI Impact Summit amid public scrutiny over Epstein ties

Amodei warned that while AI holds the promise of curing long-incurable diseases, improving human health, and lifting billions out of poverty, it also poses risks related to autonomous behaviour, misuse by individuals and governments, and large-scale economic displacement.

He said India has a central role to play in addressing both the opportunities and dangers posed by AI, given its history of setting technology standards for the Global South and spreading humanitarian benefits through innovation, the report stated.

Speaking on India's growing contribution and importance in the AI ecosystem, Amodei said the "energy and ambition" among Indian builders and enterprises were unlike anywhere else he had seen, following meetings with leaders and companies across the country, as per a report by ANI.

ALSO READ | OpenAI's Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei avoid holding hands at AI summit: Their tense history

As a sign of Anthropic's commitment to India, Amodei said the company has opened an office in Bengaluru, appointed Irina Ghose as managing director for Anthropic India, and announced partnerships with major Indian enterprises, including Infosys.

At the same summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for ensuring children's safety on AI platforms, addressing the gathering alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Amodei.

Separately, Anthropic's Head of Beneficial Deployments Elizabeth Kelly said the company is already seeing the impact of building AI with communities rather than deploying it to them, citing partnerships with governments, educators, and non-profits in countries such as Rwanda and India, the ANI report noted.

ALSO READ | Country of geniuses in the data centre: Dario Amodei bets big on India

Concerns around AI safety have intensified globally, with Amodei previously warning that AI could eliminate up to half of all entry-level white-collar jobs, and with public resignations reported at both Anthropic and OpenAI over ethical concerns related to the technology, according to a separate report by AFP.

Anthropic also warned last week that its latest chatbot models could be nudged toward knowingly supporting chemical weapon development and other serious crimes in limited ways.

French president rejects US criticism as António Guterres and Narendra Modi warn on child safety and AI monopolies

Emmanuel Macron has hit back at US criticism of Europe's efforts to regulate AI, vowing to protect children from "digital abuse" during France's presidency of the G7.

Speaking at the AI Impact summit in Delhi, the French president called for tougher safeguards after global outrage over Elon Musk's Grok chatbot being used to generate tens of thousands of sexualised images of children, and amid mounting concern about the concentration of AI power in a handful of companies.

His remarks were echoed by António Guterres, the UN secretary general, who told delegates - including several US tech billionaires - that "no child should be a test subject for unregulated AI".

"The future of AI cannot be decided by a few countries or left to the whims of a few billionaires," Guterres said. "AI must belong to everyone".

Bill Gates had been scheduled to speak but withdrew at the last minute amid renewed scrutiny of his past links to the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

On Wednesday, the White House's senior AI adviser, Sriram Krishnan, renewed the Trump administration's criticism of AI regulation, singling out the EU's AI Act.

He told delegates he would continue to "rant" against legislation that was not "conducive to an entrepreneur who wants to build innovative technology".

But Macron told the intergovernmental summit: "Opposite to what some misinformed friends have been saying, Europe is not blindly focused on regulation. Europe is a space for innovation and investment, but it is a safe space, and safe spaces win in the long run."

Research published this month by Unicef and Interpol across 11 countries found at least 1.2 million children reported having their images manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes in the past year. In some countries, one in 25 children - the equivalent of one child in every classroom - had been affected.

"There is no reason our children should be exposed online to what is legally forbidden in the real world," Macron said. "Our platforms, governments and regulators should be working together to make the internet and social media a safe space. This is why, in France, we are embarking on a process to ban social networks for children under 15 years old."

Among the tech executives attending was Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, which is facing a legal challenge from the family of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old who took his own life after discussing suicide with ChatGPT.

Dario Amodei, the co-chief executive of Anthropic, said he was "concerned about the autonomous behaviour of AI models, their potential for misuse by individuals and governments and their potential for economic displacement".

India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, said it was "imperative that AI is child safe and family-guided", likening the emergence of AI to the discovery of fire and calling it a "profound transformation in human history".

India is seeking to position itself as the world's third AI power behind the US and China, with Google this week announcing a $15bn investment in datacentres and subsea cables linking India to the US and other countries.

Modi said there must be "established levels of authenticity for content within the digital world ... people must know what is authentic, and what has been generated by AI".

The interventions come amid growing public concern about the societal risks of AI, as the most advanced models remain largely controlled by about four US companies and a handful of Chinese rivals.

Modi set out an alternative vision, leveraging India's 1.4 billion population as a huge growth market for tech firms.

He said: "We must prevent an AI monopoly. Many nations consider AI to be a strategic asset, and therefore it is developed confidentially and its availability is carefully managed.

"However, our nation India holds a different perspective. We believe that technology, like a I will only truly benefit the world when it is shared and when open source code becomes available."

His comments appeared to be directed at the US, where leading AI models are not open-source and cannot be used or adapted without permission. By contrast, China's leading systems, such as DeepSeek and Qwen, are broadly open-source.

Dissecting Budget 2026 and Its Mega Moves | Fortune India Boardroom

The relatively lean team size prompted Sharma to remark that Sarvam appeared to have solved the challenge not by "throwing a lot of money" at it, but by applying intelligence and efficient use of compute resources such as GPUs.

Kumar described the project as part of a broader national journey of tackling difficult technological challenges, adding that building a foundation model is not a one-time effort but a continuing process with multiple releases and improvements.

For context, Sarvam AI is supported under the government of India's IndiaAI Mission, which provides selected developers with subsidised access to national GPU compute infrastructure and programme support for building sovereign AI models.

Asked about the rationale for launching a sovereign AI model, Kumar said the world has already entered a "post-AI" phase where artificial intelligence underpins the next wave of technological and economic transformation.

In such a scenario, he argued, India cannot afford to rely solely on external platforms during the early stages of what could be the most important technology cycle in decades. Developing indigenous AI capabilities, he said, will enable the country to shape its own digital future while collaborating with partners across industry.

Kumar also recounted demonstrating Sarvam's technology to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling the experience deeply motivating for the team.

He said the Prime Minister showed strong curiosity, stepping closer during the demo to observe the product firsthand -- an interaction Kumar described as energising and symbolic of top-level support for India's AI ambitions.

Sharma said such engagement from the country's leadership gives entrepreneurs confidence and pride, adding that Sarvam had "stolen the show" at the summit.

"This is the time we can," Sharma said, expressing confidence that Indian companies could emerge as global leaders in AI by the time the next summit is held.

At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Sam Altman praised India's leadership in AI innovation and its potential to create new jobs. Amid concerns over job losses due to automation, he reassured that technology will pave the way for more meaningful work in the future.

India AI Impact Summit 2026: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Thursday said India is currently leading the world in AI adoption and is poised to become one of the largest markets for the technology.

Altman, who is in New Delhi to attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026, acknowledged that the AI advancement will definitely impact the job market. But Altman said he remains confident in human adaptability.

"It (AI) will definitely impact the job market, but we always find new things to do, and I have no doubt we will find lots of better ones this time," Altman is heard telling news agency ANI. Altman emphasised that throughout history, technological shifts have consistently led to the discovery of new, more meaningful work.

The rapid advances in AI and its use across sectors have triggered fears of job losses, especially in roles involving routine, repetitive, or data-driven tasks. Many workers worry that automation could replace both blue-collar and white-collar jobs, from factory work to coding and content creation.

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is being held in Delhi from 16 February to 20 February, marking the first global AI Summit to be hosted in the Global South. The summit has attracted government policymakers, industry AI experts, academicians, technology innovators, and civil society representatives from across the world to advance global discussions on artificial intelligence.

"It is amazing to be here, obviously, the work happening in India and the adoption of AI is leading the world, and I can't wait to see what goes next," he said.

OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence research organisation headquartered in San Francisco. It comprises the non-profit OpenAI Inc. and its for-profit subsidiary, OpenAI Global, LLC. OpenAI has seen its second-largest user base emerge from India. The company opened its first office in New Delhi last year.

Reliance Industries-owned JioHotstar on Thursday announced a partnership with OpenAI that is set to transform the viewing experience into a natural, voice-led interaction. The partnership will integrate ChatGPT-powered discovery and immersive features into the country's biggest platform.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the need to democratise artificial intelligence, while calling for a transparent approach to data sharing.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of The India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital, PM Modi also presented India's MANAV Vision for AI, which he said will serve as a crucial link in advancing humanity's welfare.

The US Department of Justice has begun releasing the controversial Epstein Files, which reveals the names of people who had ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender and child sex trafficker who was found dead inside his prison cell.

Bill Gates name, is one of the many famous names to have appeared on the Files. In light of these developments, the Gates Foundation announced that Bill Gates will not be participating in the AI Impact Summit in India after "careful consideration". In his place, the President of the Gate Foundation's Africa and India offices, Ankur Vora, will deliver the keynote address, they announced.

While the 70-year-old businessman's representatives have denied any relationship between Bill and Epstein, dubbing it "completely false", the internet is left wondering what may have caused such a decision.

While many demanded to know the reason, some agreed with the decision. "whats the exact reason of this withdrawal?", one user asked. "Good for India. Stop inviting criminals", one person said. One user joked, "Man probably found out school kids were not going to be among the audience.". "Is it because of Galgotia University or The Epstein files?", another comment read.

A part of the statement released by the Gates Foundation read, "After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit's key priorities, Mr. Gates will not be delivering his keynote address".

The India AI Impact Summit had begun on February 16, 2026 and will end on February 20, 2026. While Bill Gates will not be a part of it as he was supposed to, the summit is set to host big names who will deliver speeches on Thursday, such as Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.

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OpenAI will open offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru, expand certifications and roll out over 1 lakh ChatGPT Edu licences, as CEO Sam Altman highlights India's growing role in global AI adoption.OpenAI has announced plans to open new offices in Mumbai and Bengaluru, expanding its physical presence in India as it deepens engagement with universities, developers and enterprises in one of its fastest-growing markets.

In a post titled "OpenAI for India", the company said the new hubs will complement its existing presence in New Delhi, signalling a long-term commitment to the country's AI ecosystem. The announcements were made at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi.

Commenting on the expansion, OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman said, "India is already leading the way in AI adoption, and with its homegrown tech talent, optimism about what AI can do for the country, and strong government support, it is well placed to help shape its future and how democratic AI is adopted at scale."

He added, "Through OpenAI for India, we're working together to build the infrastructure, skills, and local partnerships needed to build AI with India, for India, and in India."

Alongside the office expansion, OpenAI will scale up skilling and education initiatives. The company plans to expand its OpenAI Certifications programme in India, with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) set to become the first participating organisation outside the United States.

Read more: Delhivery partners with NVIDIA to build AI-powered maps for India

OpenAI also announced education partnerships with leading institutions, rolling out more than 1,00,000 ChatGPT Edu licences aimed at equipping students with workforce-relevant AI skills. Participating institutions include IIM Ahmedabad, AIIMS New Delhi, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), and Pearl Academy.

The India expansion marks one of OpenAI's most significant international growth moves in Asia, as global AI firms step up investments in the country's developer base, startup ecosystem and digital infrastructure.

Read more: Delhivery partners with NVIDIA to build AI-powered maps for India

Addressing the gathering, Amodei highlighted the "energy and ambition" of India's technology ecosystem, noting that the country's innovation capacity positions it as a key actor in the global AI landscape

India will play a pivotal role in shaping both the opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence, said Dario Amodei, Chief Executive Officer of Anthropic, as global leaders convened in the national capital for the India AI Impact Summit.

Addressing the gathering, Amodei highlighted the "energy and ambition" of India's technology ecosystem, noting that the country's innovation capacity positions it as a key actor in the global AI landscape.

He described recent advances in AI as "staggering," stating that the technology is progressing rapidly and could soon surpass human cognitive capabilities in many domains. According to him, AI systems may evolve into highly capable networks of coordinated agents, creating unprecedented opportunities alongside significant challenges.

Amodei said the transformative potential of AI, including improving healthcare outcomes, addressing long-standing diseases, enhancing agricultural productivity and reducing poverty, particularly across the Global South. At the same time, he warned against risks such as autonomous behaviour of AI systems, misuse by individuals or governments, and economic disruption resulting from rapid technological change.

Emphasising India's role, he said the country could lead efforts to both harness AI's benefits and manage its risks, noting its position as the world's largest democracy and a growing technology hub.

As part of its expansion in India, Anthropic announced the opening of an office in Bengaluru and the appointment of Irina Ghose as managing director for its India operations. The company has also entered partnerships with major Indian enterprises, including Infosys, and is collaborating with non-profits and research organisations to advance digital infrastructure, education, agriculture and healthcare using AI.

Amodei added that Anthropic is working with partners to improve AI performance across India's regional languages and develop benchmarks for locally relevant applications such as agriculture, legal services and education. He also expressed interest in collaborating with Indian authorities and research institutions on AI safety testing, security evaluation and economic impact studies.

He said that while AI could significantly expand economic growth, the speed of technological change may lead to temporary disruption, requiring cooperation between governments, industry and civil society to ensure equitable benefits.

The India AI Impact Summit has brought together policymakers, industry leaders, academics and civil society representatives to deliberate on AI governance, safety and societal implications. The event forms part of broader international efforts to strengthen cooperation and promote inclusive, responsible development of artificial intelligence.

AuraML, a pioneer in generative AI for physical systems, today announced the launch of its groundbreaking Multimodal World Simulation Model- AuraSim. This industry-first platform will generate physics-ready, high-fidelity simulation environments for robots using diverse inputs such as text descriptions, floorplans, videos, depth maps, and point clouds.

As the first multimodal world simulation model built leveraging NVIDIA Omniverse and NVIDIA Cosmos, AuraML is positioned to become a critical infrastructure layer for the global robotics industry, significantly reducing the time and cost required to develop robust physical AI.

To accelerate the adoption and expertise around its new World Simulation Model, AuraML in collaboration with NVIDIA Inception is also launching a dedicated training program: The Global Physical AI & Robotics Cohort.

Bridging the Gap Between Digital and Physical Reality

Training autonomous systems demands large-scale, high-quality simulation data. AuraML addresses this by automatically transforming multimodal inputs into "sim-ready" digital twins that respect the laws of physics.

Key Features of the AuraML World Model:

●Multimodal Flexibility: Generates complex 3D environments from 2D floorplans, and converts text descriptions to raw sensor data.

●Physics-Ready Outputs: AuraML produces environments with accurate collision boundaries and physical properties, ready for deployment in high-fidelity engines.

●Agentic Automation: The model integrates an automated simulation pipeline powered by AI agents, capable of running thousands of scenario variations without human intervention.

●Rapid Iteration: Developers can quickly "stress-test" Physical AI by generating edge-case scenarios by simply modifying a text prompt.

Use Case: Orchestrating the "Dark Factory"

The power of AuraML is most evident in complex factory automation. Using the platform, users can generate an entire industrial facility from a single architectural floorplan and a few video walkthroughs. This allows for the simultaneous simulation of diverse robotic fleets working in sync:

●Humanoid Robots navigating narrow corridors and performing dexterous assembly.

●Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) managing logistics and material transport across the floor.

●Stationary Robotic Arms performing high-speed precision tasks.

Additionally, AuraML enables developers to test how these different agents interact on the same floor, ensuring collision-free synchronization and optimized workflows before a single robot is ever deployed in the real world.

Supercharged by NVIDIA Technology

To deliver industry-leading performance and physical accuracy, AuraML worked closely with NVIDIA to build its platform on NVIDIA Omniverse, and NVIDIA Isaac Sim - a collection of libraries and microservices for developing physical AI, digital twins, and robotics. Powered by NVIDIA Cosmos world foundation models and accelerated computing, AuraML creates real-time, photorealistic environments that enable seamless data transfer between the digital and physical worlds.

AuraML's Global Physical AI & Robotics Cohort

To accelerate the adoption and expertise around its new World Simulation Model, AuraML in collaboration with NVIDIA is launching The Global Physical AI & Robotics Cohort,. An intensive, 8-week program designed for robotics engineers, AI researchers, and developers. With limited seats, the cohort offers a high-touch, mentorship-driven experience focused on building, stimulating, and deploying real-world physical AI systems.

Powering the Future of Robotics Foundation Models

The launch marks a significant milestone in the evolution of "Physical AI", and by providing an end-to-end agentic workflow, AuraML enables robotics companies to move from concept to deployment at unprecedented speed.

"Our integrated workflows provide the critical infrastructure needed to make Physical AI more robust," said Ayush Sharma, co-founder of AuraML. "By launching the first multimodal world simulation model from India, powered by NVIDIA's world-class simulation technology, we are providing a global toolset to accelerate the development of advanced robotics foundation models everywhere," he added."

"India's AI startup ecosystem is primed for acceleration, driven by exceptional technical talent and global ambition," said Tobias Halloran, Director of EMEAI Startups and Venture Capital at NVIDIA. "NVIDIA is accelerating this momentum by giving founders direct access to accelerated computing, scalable AI infrastructure, and programs like NVIDIA Inception and the Inception VC Alliance - helping startups scale faster and build for global markets."

The announcements align with the broader momentum around the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, a flagship gathering hosted by the Government of India under the IndiaAI Mission, taking place in New Delhi.

Travel booking platform MakeMyTrip has partnered with OpenAI to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) functionality into travel booking capabilities, namely travel booking through payments, flight booking, hotel booking, and travel add-ons, to help travelers discover travel options and book trips.

Myra also has some other amazing technologies that non-metro users are going to enjoy, and that is the ability to interact with Myra through voice, and this is going to make her even more popular to people in rural towns. Travel-related inquiries are in high demand among residents of smaller cities, especially in India, and the 45% of queries that come from rural areas confirms this need.

Peter Steinberger spent 13 years building a company that formatted PDFs. It took him only one hour to build the model that would eventually kill that app.

Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, the open-source agentic website that took the world by storm, told podcaster Lex Friedman that he first created the prototype because he "was annoyed that it didn't exist, so I just prompted it into existence." Nothing unusual for him-it was the 44th AI-related project he's completed since 2009, a decades-long toil that he told Friedman left him drained of "mojo": "I couldn't get code out anymore. I was just, like, staring and feeling empty."

So he booked a one-way ticket to Madrid and disappeared from space, "catching up on life stuff." But as he relaxed, Steinberger watched the AI frenzy begin without him. The desire for the autonomous assistant dragged Steinberger out of retirement "to mess with AI."

Three months later, the millennial has received international recognition, what's likely a six-figure-plus offer from OpenAI, and praise from its founder, Sam Altman, who called him a "genius with a lot of amazing ideas."

Steinberger's return to the AI space is as much a story of personal reinvention as it is a professional achievement. Born and raised in rural Austria, he developed an obsession with computers at age 14 when a summer guest introduced him to a PC. That sparked his interest, leading him to study software engineering at the Vienna University of Technology. Before becoming a founder, he worked as a senior iOS engineer in Silicon Valley and taught mobile development at his alma mater. He used to split his time between London and Vienna, although he recently announced he was moving to the United States (he didn't specify where). Steinberger is quiet about his personal life, though he's mentioned he's a Doctor Who fan.

His first major success, PSPDFKit, was apparently bootstrapped in 2011 while he waited six months for a U.S. work visa; he filled the idle time by solving the "simple yet incredibly difficult" problem of PDF rendering on iPads. Over the next 13 years, he grew the company into the gold star of PDF management, with its code powering PDF functionality on over a billion devices for companies like Apple and Dropbox, he told Friedman. Eventually, however, he became bogged down by the "people stuff" required of a CEO: board meetings, conflicts with founders, relentless customer demands, and his battery drained to zero.

"I felt like Austin Powers where they suck the mojo out," he told Lex Fridman in a recent, sprawling interview. "I couldn't get code out anymore. I was just, like, staring and feeling empty."

Despite the professional triumph of a reported €100 million exit in 2023, and the relief of being done, the years of crushing and pushing left Steinberger profoundly hollow. He described the period following his retirement as a search for meaning that no amount of travel, parties, or therapy could resolve.

"If you wake up in the morning and you have nothing to look forward to, you have no real challenge, that gets very boring, very fast," Steinberger told Friedman.

It wasn't until April 2025 that he felt the spark return, realized through a relatively simple attempt to build a Twitter analysis tool. He discovered that AI had undergone a "paradigm shift" and could now handle the repetitive plumbing of code, allowing him to return to the more high-minded act of building. Now, Steinberger, who recently said he's moving to the U.S. after being bogged down by pesky European regulations, is defining himself not as a traditional CEO, but a "full-time open-sourcerer" of the agentic revolution.

At its core, OpenClaw is an autonomous AI agent that acts as a digital employee, running on a user's local machine. Unlike standard models that wait for a prompt to respond to, OpenClaw is "always-on," capable of managing emails and controlling web browsers to complete workflows, especially through messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram. This autonomy gained popularity with the launch of Moltbook, a Reddit-style social network designed exclusively for AI agents, filled with posts about manifestos, consciousness, and other agent-related topics.

Yet, despite the levity, experts have warned that autonomous agents carry multiple risks: their margin of error is too high, they could go rogue, or they're susceptible to malware.

The project, which Steinberger has rebranded multiple times -- evolving from Clawdbot to Moltbot and finally to OpenClaw -- largely due to politics -- has expanded at a pace that startles even seasoned AI experts. By early February, the framework had surpassed 145,000 GitHub stars, a record, and recorded peak traffic of two million visitors in just one week.

But that rapid ascent has also brought significant challenges for Steinberger. He said he navigated a very high-profile disagreement with Anthropic over the project's original name, and his attempts to transition his digital handles were complicated by bad actors associated with cryptocurrency who briefly hijacked his accounts.

"I was close to crying," he admitted to Friedman, saying that he was close to deleting the project while exhausted from managing the viral sensation and serving as his own legal and security team. " I was like, 'I did show you the future, you build it.'"

But Steinberger persevered and built it himself, motivated by the "magic" he saw when the agents began solving problems he hadn't explicitly programmed them for, such as transcribing voice messages or even proactively checking on his well-being after surgery.

The decision to join OpenAI, announced on February 15, marks the conclusion of his period as a solo builder. Steinberger said he was losing up to 10k a month on the server, and he had multiple opportunities -- including personal outreach from Meta's Mark Zuckerberg. However, he ultimately chose OpenAI to gain access to the "latest toys" required to scale his vision.

But the move has drawn controversy. OpenClaw, an open-source model, became something of a philosophical challenge to an AI status quo dominated by a few, centralized, and massive players. Steinberger said he built it around a "local-first" architecture, allowing users to run their assistants on their own hardware and maintain their memories in simple Markdown files, rather than locking personal data in a corporate cloud. Critics questioned whether the company was selling out by ceding to OpenAI so quickly.

Steinberger said that to preserve the project's community-driven roots, OpenClaw will now move into an independent, open-source foundation supported by OpenAI.

"I told them, I don't do this for the money," he told Friedman. "I want to have fun and have impact, and that's ultimately what made my decision."

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says India's rapid AI adoption and democratic leadership position it to help shape the global AI future, even as artificial intelligence races toward superintelligence by 2028

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said on Thursday at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 that, if his predictions hold, by the end of 2028 more of the world's intellectual capacity could exist within data centres than outside it.

"This is an extraordinary statement to make, and of course we could be wrong, but I think it really bears serious consideration. A super intelligence at some point on its development curve would be capable of doing a better job being the CEO of a major company than any executive, certainly me, or doing better research than our best scientists," he added.

Economic And Social Impact

Altman described AI's transformative potential, saying, "If we are right and systems continue to improve at this pace, it's going to change the economics of a lot of things... many things are going to get much cheaper and have much faster economic growth."

He cited examples including better access to healthcare and education, as well as automation in supply chains that could lower the cost of physical goods.

He acknowledged the disruption AI will bring to current jobs, warning, "It'll be very hard to outwork a GPU in many ways... but we should all hope future generations feel much more fulfilled than we do today."

He added that each generation builds on the work of the previous one, with AI raising the "scaffolding" of human capability.

Altman framed AI as a moral imperative, saying, "It is a moral imperative to make sure that our great, great grandchildren can stay the same, and technology, and especially AI is how we're gonna get there."

He added that giving people both tools and agency is essential for a democratic AI future. "Sharing control means accepting that some things are going to go wrong in exchange for not having one thing go mega wrong, cemented, totalitarian control."

"The next few years, will test global society. As this technology continues to improve at a rapid pace, we can choose to either empower people or concentrate power."

He called for global coordination in managing AI development, comparing it to the IAEA. "The world may need something like the IAEA for international coordination of AI, and especially for it to have the ability to rapidly respond to change in circumstances."

Core Beliefs: Democratisation, Resilience And Inclusion

Altman outlined three principles guiding OpenAI. First, he said, "democratisation of AI is the only fair and safe path forward... AI should extend individual human will." He warned that centralising AI in one company or country could be dangerous.

"Some people want effective totalitarianism in exchange for a cure for cancer. I don't think we should accept that trade off, nor do I think we need to."

Second, he said that AI safety must include societal resilience alongside technical safeguards. "There'll be extremely capable bio models available, open source, that could help people create new pathogens. We need a society-wide approach about how we're going to defend against this," he said, noting that no AI lab or system alone can deliver a safe and flourishing future.

Third, he highlighted the need for inclusive governance: "Many people need to have a stake in shaping the outcome... it's important to be humble about what we don't know and always remember that sometimes our best guesses are wrong."

Altman said iterative deployment of AI allows society to integrate new capabilities thoughtfully, noting, "This has been working surprisingly well so far."

Altman praised India's rapid adoption of AI, calling it "striking how much progress India has made in its mission to put AI to work for more people in more parts of the country."

He noted that "more than a hundred million people in India use ChatGPT every week. More than a third of them are students. India is also the fastest growing market now for Codex, our coding agent that works to help people develop software faster and better."

He said India, as the world's largest democracy, is well positioned "not just to build [AI], but to shape it and decide what our future's going to look like," and praised the country's leadership in building sovereign AI infrastructure.

At AI Impact Summit 2026, PM Modi said AI will create new job opportunities, contrasting earlier warnings by tech leaders like Sam Altman and Bill Gates.

At the AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, PM Narendra Modi shared his views on Artificial Intelligence, while presenting a new mantra, "MANAV Vision" for AI. But when it came to the question everyone keeps asking, "Will AI take our jobs?" Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered an optimistic take. Also Read: AI Impact Summit 2026 extended by a day; Event now open till February 21

In his keynote, PM Modi compared AI to the early days of the internet. Back then, he said, nobody could have predicted the number of jobs it would create. The same, according to him, applies to AI. He suggested that the future of work is not fixed and will depend on how governments, industries, and societies choose to shape it. Instead of seeing AI as a threat, he described it as an opportunity, a phase where humans and intelligent systems work together. Also Read: India tightens content rules, tells global platforms to stay within constitutional limits

It was a confident message, but slightly contrasting to the statements that we have all been listening to about the AI threat to jobs. Also Read: Sarvam Kaze Smart Glasses unveiled: India launch timeline, features, and what to expect

What tech leaders have said earlier?

Interestingly, this statement by PM Modi contrasts with what several global tech leaders have warned about in recent months. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously suggested that AI could replace up to 40 percent of jobs as systems become more capable. Bill Gates has openly said governments must prepare for job displacement, even while acknowledging AI's benefits.

Vineet Nayar, former CEO of HCL Technologies, predicted that while AI may eliminate nearly half of current jobs, it could also create new ones in equal measure.

So yes, opportunity is part of the AI story, but so is disruption.

PM Modi's view leans strongly toward the opportunity side. And while that optimism is encouraging, it does leave one question hanging in the air, what about the transition phase?

History shows that technological revolutions create jobs, but not always for the same people, at the same time, or in the same places. The internet created millions of roles, but it also made some industries obsolete.

The announcement by Asia's richest person follows a $100 billion AI investment pledge by compatriot Gautam Adani earlier this week and Tata Group's plans to partner OpenAI Inc. earlier in the day. India's largest conglomerates -- long known for aligning their corporate strategy to national priorities -- are doubling down as Narendra Modi's government pitches India as a hub for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Osaka, Kawasaki, Tokyo, Japan, Feb 19, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - Japan Community Healthcare Organization Osaka Hospital (JCHO Osaka Hospital), Fujitsu Japan Limited, and Fortience Consulting Inc. today announced the commencement of a project aimed at establishing a system for the safe utilization of generative AI across all medical operations at JCHO Osaka Hospital. This initiative, formalized through an agreement signed on February 13, 2026, seeks to achieve work style reform and sustainable hospital management by leveraging the expertise of Microsoft Japan Co., Ltd.

In this project, Fujitsu Japan will introduce and provide generative AI-powered services for creating discharge summaries and nursing handovers at JCHO Osaka Hospital. Scheduled for operation in June 2026, the project will involve developing internal guidelines for generative AI utilization, establishing an information infrastructure, and building operational governance to promote and embed generative AI usage throughout the hospital.

The three parties and Microsoft Japan aim for this project to serve as a model case for AI adoption in public and general hospitals nationwide, and will also share their knowledge with other medical institutions, contributing to the acceleration of AI adoption and digital transformation (DX) in healthcare.

Figure: Hiroya Kuwahara, Head of Healthcare Business at Fujitsu Japan, Toshirou Nishida, Director of JCHO Osaka Hospital, Norihiro Shimizu, Head of Healthcare at Microsoft Japan, and Takuya Shigenobu, Social Value Creation Division Division Head Senior Managing Director at Fortience Consulting, at the signing ceremony for this project on February 13, 2026.

Dr. Ryuji Hamamoto, Representative Director, Japanese Association for Medical Artificial Intelligence comments:

"This is an excellent project that safely implements generative AI for clinical document creation and integrates governance and education. Ensuring safety, reducing the burden on those working in the field, and improving quality is extremely important. I look forward to this project's nationwide expansion."

Background

Currently, medical institutions face urgent challenges in balancing improved medical quality with work style reform and ensuring sound financial management. The adoption of technologies such as AI is therefore imperative. However, disparities in IT literacy among staff and a shortage of digital talent often lead to AI being used only partially, posing challenges for its sustained adoption. Since November 2024, JCHO Osaka Hospital, with support from Microsoft Japan and Fortience Consulting, has been implementing generative AI for non-clinical tasks, such as creating meeting minutes and building a chatbot system for staff using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). Having achieved good results in these areas, the hospital has now expanded its collaboration to apply generative AI to clinical domains.

Project Overview

As the first phase of generative AI application in clinical domains, Fujitsu Japan's generative AI-powered medical document creation support service will be introduced for approximately 16,000 discharge summaries annually at JCHO Osaka Hospital. Additionally, generative AI will be utilized in nursing to summarize key points for handover tasks. These efforts aim to improve operational efficiency, enhance medical quality, and promote work style reform. Furthermore, the four parties plan to extend the scope of this service beyond JCHO Osaka Hospital to other public hospitals within the Japan Community Healthcare Organization, supporting the utilization of electronic medical record data. This will expand the use of generative AI in clinical operations while ensuring personal information protection and improving medical quality.

2. Establishing operational governance

Prioritizing safety and security in medical settings, a mechanism for continuous utilization of generative AI will be established. JCHO Osaka Hospital will develop operational rules for handling data and generative AI output results on Microsoft Japan's AI platform, emphasizing security, privacy, and compliance, given the confidentiality of medical information. This will systematize operational governance for generative AI utilization, adhering to legal and ethical considerations.

Moreover, JCHO Osaka Hospital will establish "DX Ambassadors" (in-house promotion leaders) comprising multi-disciplinary members, including doctors, nurses, and administrative staff, to promote generative AI utilization in clinical settings. These ambassadors will collectively drive the identification of on-site challenges, validation of use cases, and support for generative AI adoption. The knowledge gained will be organized into a generative AI utilization framework to strengthen operational governance, facilitate its expansion into clinical domains, and continuously advance healthcare DX.

3. Enhancing organization-wide digital literacy

Based on the generative AI implementation expertise of the four parties, Fortience Consulting will lead the formulation of a basic policy for generative AI utilization. This will include developing operational guidelines for other medical institutions to adopt generative AI and usage guidelines for healthcare professionals. Fortience Consulting will also provide and support the implementation of educational programs to enhance overall digital literacy within the hospital and ensure the sustained adoption of generative AI.

Roles of Each Company

* JCHO Osaka Hospital: Providing the medical setting for establishing a system for safe generative AI utilization across all medical operations, and for demonstrating work style reform. Planning to expand generative AI utilization in clinical domains to other public hospitals.

* Fujitsu Japan: Providing generative AI for medical document creation support services and nursing handover tasks, supporting the utilization of electronic medical record data, and offering expertise in generative AI implementation.

* Fortience Consulting: Supporting the establishment of effective operational governance, including the formulation of guidelines and educational programs for appropriate generative AI utilization in medical institutions, and assisting in expanding the scope of generative AI application to other public hospitals.

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu's purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers around the globe, our 113,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: AI, Computing, Networks, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$23 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: global.fujitsu

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LAST month, on Privacy Week, of all weeks, I found myself in this new coffee spot in Masaki. I'm halfway through my second cup, watching people work quietly beside me.

My laptop fan is humming a little too loudly, a subtle but persistent reminder of the repairs I keep promising myself I'll make. Miguel is playing on repeat in my new AirPods, two small joys that feel almost illicit.

And somewhere between refreshing my emails, people-watching, and pretending not to notice how good the music sounds, I take one wrong - no, right - click. A question I probably wasn't meant to ask that day.

I discovered something called Clawd.bot - now rebranded as Moltbot after an anthropic trademark issue. It's an open-source AI assistant. Kind of like Microsoft Copilot, but...you install it. You control it. You decide what it can see and do. I've covered open source here before, so this is not new ground.

Anyway, in theory, it's empowering. In practice, it made me pause. Now that AI assistants are becoming part of everyday life, the way we're adopting them is moving faster than the questions we're asking about trust, access and privacy.

A year or two ago, tools like this felt niche, but they they're now a mainstream. People use AI assistants to help them shop, draft emails, organise calendars, summarise documents, plan trips, manage tasks, and answer late-night questions they don't want to Google.

Today, Microsoft Copilot sits inside Word and Outlook. Google Gemini lives in your browser (not available to all users at this time). ChatGPT is open on millions of tabs right now. These tools feel safe because they're familiar.

Today, AI assistants like Moltbot are kind of like that brilliant friend from college who always helped you hack your coding assignments. Only now, instead of lending you their brain, they live in your phone or laptop. You can link them to your email, your notes, your calendar, even your documents. Some people let them browse the web for them. Others go all in, hooking up banking tools or password managers.

The appeal is obvious. And the risk? Just as obvious. Is it a thrill -- or a conundrum? Would you give a brand-new human assistant -- someone you just met, with no background check -- full access to your computer?

Most people wouldn't.

Yet many of us are doing exactly that with software. Because it's convenient, and nothing bad has happened yet.

Does anyone remember CrowdStrike?

Sometime in 2025, a faulty update from CrowdStrike - a widely trusted cybersecurity company - caused millions of systems around the world to crash. Airports, banks and hospitals, all the organisations vanished off the grid in the wake of a single glitch.

This wasn't a hack. It wasn't an attack. It was a trusted security tool behaving exactly as designed - just with a mistake. The lesson wasn't that CrowdStrike is bad. The lesson was that when software has deep system access, small errors scale fast.

AI assistants increasingly sit in that same privileged position. They can read. They can write. They can automate. And sometimes, they can act without asking twice.

Then there was the Chrome extension story that never hit front-page news, but maybe should have. A popular VPN extension -- installed by millions, slapped "Featured" in official stores -- was quietly collecting users' AI conversations across ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Gemini and others. Around the same time, security researchers uncovered AuraStealer, a malware strain spreading through social platforms and fake software guides.

Victims ran commands themselves, thinking they were activating legitimate tools. Instead, the malware quietly harvested browser data, credentials, payment wallets, screenshots, system info - you name it.

Installing software yourself doesn't automatically make it secure. Open-source doesn't mean harmless. Local doesn't mean private. It just means the responsibility shifted to you.

So, where does that leave tools like Moltbot? AI assistants are fascinating, powerful and convenient. But the risk for most users isn't malice - it's over-permission. Giving them unrestricted access creates a single point of failure. If something breaks, updates wrong, or touches another compromised system, the blast radius is huge.

That doesn't mean 'don't use AI assistants.' It means slow down before handing over the keys. The systems that tell us 'I'm helpful, Trust me', deserves a second look.

Lastly -- this feels like a confession more than a conclusion - I've been going down a rabbit hole with PwC's work on cyber risks. What fascinates me isn't just the risks themselves, but how quickly they shape-shift, how companies are constantly trying to stay one step ahead of something that refuses to sit still. And there I am, thinking... huh. This is actually a story. I tip the waiter, let the thought linger, and smile to myself. Hmm, I think, I should probably write about this next week.

You can create music tracks up to 30 seconds using text prompts, images, and even video clips.

Google is rolling out AI music generation inside the Gemini app through its Lyria 3 AI model. Users can now create a 30-second AI music track using text, photo, or video tracks. You can even add your optional vocals and lyrics, and Gemini produces the music track for you. Lyria 3 is Google's most advanced music-generation AI model till date.

Music generation using Gemini is not just limited to text prompts, but you can also upload images and videos and Gemini will generate audio that matches the visual vibe. Lyria 3 inside Gemini can produce instrumental music, vocals with AI-generated lyrics across a range of genres. You can even describe the mood of the song, and change the vocal style as well.

It's broadly rolling out to all Gemini users for free. Simply open the Gemini app and click on Tools and select Create music. You can pick a track to remix across 90s rap, Latin pop, Folk ballad, R&B romance, and more. Apart from that, Lyria 3 is rolling out via YouTube's Dream Track, so creators can use the AI model for YouTube content.

As to protect copyright infringement, Google has implemented safeguards to filter outputs that directly mimic known artists. Google further says that it's meant for creative use, and it doesn't want to replace professional music artists since the music track is limited to 30 seconds only.

Currently, Suno is the leading AI music generator where users can create AI music up to 2 to 4 minutes. New reports also suggest that OpenAI is working on AI music generation, and it may release the capability in coming months. Are you going to use Gemini for music generation? Let us know in the comments below.

Cyber Attack Hits Tata Motors Q3 FY26 Results as JLR Production Shutdown Slashes Revenue and Profit

Omnicom Group is undertaking one of the most significant digital transformations in the advertising industry, repositioning itself from a traditional agency network into a unified marketing and sales platform powered by artificial intelligence, automation and high-fidelity data.

Insights from Omnicom's Q4-2025 earnings call, presented by Chairman & CEO John Wren show how its acquisition of Interpublic is accelerating a platform-first strategy centered on AI-driven workflows, data and measurable business outcomes.

Omni ecosystem becomes the foundation of AI strategy

At the core of Omnicom's transformation is the Omni ecosystem, a unified platform designed to connect data, creative production, commerce and media execution into a single operating system.

By the end of 2025, Omni AI had been deployed to every client-facing employee, marking a major milestone in the company's enterprise-wide AI rollout. The platform integrates generative AI across multiple content formats and marketing processes, including:

Omnicom reorganized its technology assets - including Omni, Omni AI, Artbot and Flywheel Commerce Cloud - into a single platform organization led by Duncan Painter, signaling a deeper commitment to technology-led marketing services.

Shift toward agentic AI marketing workflows

The company is moving beyond task-level automation toward agentic AI systems capable of coordinating multiple AI agents across complex marketing workflows.

These systems are designed to automate multi-stage campaign development, analytics and real-time optimization at scale. The shift marks a major evolution from traditional marketing automation to autonomous, AI-driven orchestration of marketing operations.

Interpublic acquisition powers data-driven transformation

The acquisition of Interpublic is a central pillar of Omnicom's technology strategy. The integration adds major data and marketing technology assets, including Acxiom and Kinesso, helping create what the company describes as one of the industry's highest-fidelity data platforms.

Key strategic outcomes include:

Linking advertising spend directly to sales and business outcomes

Combining creative production with media delivery in real time

Enabling value-based marketing and advanced performance measurement

This strategy is anchored in the concept of "intelligent creativity," blending human creativity with AI, data and automation.

Technology integration drives large-scale cost synergies

Omnicom expects its platform transformation and merger integration to generate major cost efficiencies and streamline technology spending.

$130 million from eliminating redundant roles and back-office operations

A unified procurement and shared services model is expected to reduce operational duplication and improve technology investment efficiency.

AI-driven performance and financial outlook

Omnicom expects continued growth driven by its platform strategy and AI adoption.

A 10 basis point improvement in adjusted EBITA margin

AI-driven localization delivering 50 percent to 70 percent higher click-through rates

A new $5 billion share repurchase program

The company is positioning itself as a provider of outcomes-based marketing powered by proprietary technology and data.

Scaling AI, data and platform investments

Omnicom continues to expand its technology infrastructure and talent to support its transformation.

Key initiatives include:

Expansion of leadership and talent in AI, identity and data

Launch of the next-generation Omni platform as the company's central operating system

Integration of Acxiom Real ID, Flywheel Commerce Cloud and Omni data into a unified ecosystem

$52.7 million spent in Q4 2025 on amortization of acquired and internally developed platform assets

"Connected Capability" reshapes the operating model

Omnicom's "New Omnicom" transformation aims to simplify its business around clients, people and platforms.

Major initiatives include:

Launch of the Connected Capability organization to align media, creative, consulting and technology

Integration of IT, real estate and shared services following the Interpublic acquisition

Identification of $2.5 billion in non-strategic businesses for divestment

The cost synergy target from the Interpublic deal has now doubled to $1.5 billion over three years, with savings expected from labor, real estate and technology integration.

Strong growth in digital and tech-driven disciplines

Technology-heavy business segments delivered strong growth in Q4 2025:

Media and advertising revenue reached $3.32 billion, up 34.4 percent

Precision marketing revenue grew 10.3 percent to $568.6 million

Experiential marketing revenue increased 6.5 percent to $359.5 million

Reinventing the advertising model through AI and data

Omnicom's transformation reflects a broader industry shift toward platform-based marketing powered by AI and first-party data. By integrating Interpublic's data assets and investing heavily in Omni AI, the company is repositioning itself as a technology-driven marketing partner capable of delivering measurable outcomes at global scale.

RAJANI BABURAJAN

The partners plan AI shopping agents and smarter game development as Shopee faces tougher AI competition across Southeast Asia.

Google and Sea just teamed up to build new AI tools for Shopee and Garena, including a prototype "agentic" shopping assistant for Southeast Asia's biggest ecommerce app.

What does this mean?

Most consumer AI is still a Q&A machine, but the money is in "agentic AI" that can carry out multi-step tasks like searching, comparing, and buying with just a few prompts. Shopee is a prime lab: it led Southeast Asian ecommerce with a 52% market share in 2024, according to Momentum Works. The deal also shows how quickly the region's retail battle is becoming an AI race, with Alibaba-backed Lazada pushing its own newer models aimed at agent-like work. For Google, it's a c..