AI Futures: The Road to the India AI Impact Summit 2026

In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, host Anirudh sat down with Didier Nkurikiyimfura from Smart Africa, who shares insights from across the continent, spanning governments, startups, and regional institutions working at the frontlines of digital transformation.This episode unpacks:- How African countries are thinking about AI today, in terms of both opportunities and risks?- How does Africa see AI as an accelerator for development, from healthcare to education to financial systems?- What are the structural challenges the continent faces?- How are initiatives like Smart Africa are working to build a single digital market across 50+ countries?- Why regulation, data governance, and policy harmonization are central to scaling AI across the continent- What could meaningful India–Africa collaboration on AI could look like—from compute to skilling to institutions?- How can Africa’s young population become an important force shaping the future of AI?They discuss the broader idea of the “Great Tech Game”—and whether AI presents a rare opportunity for regions that missed earlier industrial waves to redefine their trajectory. This is a conversation about markets, power, demographics, and development—and why no serious discussion about the future of AI can ignore Africa.🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.----Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/About the Guest: Didier Nkurikiyimfura is the Director of Technology and Innovation at the Smart Africa Secretariat. As the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO), he supports Smart Africa on the overall policy and regulatory matters, organizational strategy, programme and project management, operations, partnership and resource mobilization. He also leads the implementation of several cross-border tech projects in Africa, such as the intra-African cross-border fiber connectivity, increasing Africa’s Internet affordability and accessibility, regional Data Centers, Smart Cities, African entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems strengthening, interoperable pan-african Digital ID and the Smart Africa scholarship fund among others, with the ultimate goal of contributing to Africa’s economic growth and job creation.About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast:Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #AI #Africa #AIAfrica #AfricaRising #DigitalAfrica #SmartAfrica #AfricanInnovation #AfricaTech #StartupAfrica

In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, host Anirudh Suri speaks with Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras and chief architect of India’s first indigenous microprocessor, Shakti. A recipient of the Padma Shri, he has been at the forefront of India’s AI and technology research.This episode explores India’s journey from political independence to its goal of technological sovereignty by 2047, and what it will actually take to get there.We unpack the following questions:- Why does AI demand a renewed focus on R&D and academia?- What makes AI fundamentally different from previous technology waves?- Can India build true AI sovereignty, and why does it matter?- Can frugal innovation become India’s competitive advantage in AI?- Do we really need large, general AI models or should we focus on domain-specific AI?- How can India avoid an AI divide, both globally and within the country?- How do we regulate, normalize, and manage AI's impact?- What role should public trust, adoption, and "Swadeshi" strategy play in India’s AI future?From deep research to startup ecosystems, this is a wide-ranging conversation on how India should move towards its goal of attaining technological sovereignty by 2047.🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.---Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/About the Guest: Prof. V. Kamakoti is the Director of IIT Madras. He is widely recognized as the chief architect of Shakti, India’s first indigenous microprocessor initiative. He has served on the national AI task force and as a member of the National Security Advisory Board. In 2026, he was awarded the Padma Shri.About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast:Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #TGTGPodcast #AnirudhSuri #AI #TheGreatTechGame #kamakotitv #r&d #researchanddevelopment #aiinnovation #iit #iitmadras #AIResearch #DeepTech #MachineLearning #IndiaAI #TechSovereignty #DigitalIndia #AtmanirbharBharat #IndianTech #MakeInIndia #Swadeshi #startup

In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, recorded at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, host Anirudh Suri sat down with one of the youngest speakers at the Summit — 16-year-old AI builder, entrepreneur, and content creator, Raul Aju, often called "AI Kid of India”From starting a YouTube channel to building AI tools, teaching workshops, and training aspiring young founders, Raul represents a generation growing up with AI. In this conversation, we explore:- How did he start his content creation journey at age 4?- How are Indian children and teens perceiving and using AI today?- Are students becoming more interested in entrepreneurship because of AI?- How is AI helping the way Raul learns versus his peers?- Are children aware of what happens to their data when they use AI tools?- Is AI contributing to mental health issues, loneliness, and social disconnection among youth?We often talk about the “future of AI” in abstract terms of policy, regulation, global competition. But conversations like this bring it back to something more immediate: how is our youth using AI to learn faster or think differently? Watch this conversation to hear an inspiring story of a young entrepreneur, and how the next generation is thinking about, using, and building AI.🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.-----The AI Futures Podcast series, hosted by Anirudh Suri, is organized in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* as the intellectual prelude to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held from Feb 16 - 20, 2026 in New Delhi, India.Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/-----*About Raul Aju*Raul John Aju is a 16-year-old AI builder, entrepreneur, and educator from Kochi, India, and the founder of AI Realm Technologies Pvt. Ltd., where he develops AI tools with real-world impact. Starting out with robotics at the age of 10, Raul now builds practical AI solutions—from legal assistants and automation tools to humanoid robots like Mebot, his AI-powered clone. One of his most ambitious initiatives is Project 47x, a legal AI platform developed in collaboration with the governments of Kerala and Dubai, aimed at streamlining governance and legal processes. Alongside this, Raul has trained over 140,000 students and professionals across India and internationally. Through his content on Instagram and YouTube, Raul shares his journey of building, experimenting, and simplifying AI for a wider audience. 🌍 AI Realm Technologies: https://airealm.pro/🎥Raul's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Techonaroll📱 Raul's Instagram: raul_the_rockstar (https://www.instagram.com/raul_the_rockstar/?hl=en)*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #AI #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #aientrepreneurship #aiforyouth #youth #GenZ #NextGeneration #innovation #StartupIndia #IndiaInnovation #MadeInIndia #LearnAI #AIForEveryone #FutureSkills #EducationReimagined #AIEducation #AIKid #YoungEntrepreneur #TeenFounder #GenZFounders #YouthInTech #StudentEntrepreneur #raulaju #anirudhsuri

Does India have all the elements of a globally competitive AI research ecosystem? And, is AI making students smarter—or just lazier? In this episode of the AI Futures podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with Professor Mausam, one of the "100 most influential people in AI" and a founding head of the Yardi School of AI at IIT Delhi. Together, they go beyond the hype to explore the true state of the AI revolution.In this video, you’ll discover:- The Shift to SLMs & LRMs: Why 2026 will be the year of Small Language Models and how "Large Reasoning Models" are changing the game.- India’s AI Challenge: Why India produces 16% of the world's AI talent but only ~2% of its research—and how we can close the gap.- The "Death of the Grind": Professor Mausam shares his deep concern about students using LLMs to skip the "grunt work" essential for building deep expertise.- Global Power Dynamics: Why the US and China still lead, and what we can learn from Israel’s highly successful research ecosystem.- Future-Proofing Your Career: Why "analytical thinking" and "first-principle thinking" are the only skills that will never be automated.Whether you are a student, a researcher, or just curious about the future of technology, this deep dive provides a masterclass on navigating the age of artificial intelligence.---Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Prof. Mausam*Mausam is a Professor of Computer Science at IIT Delhi, and served as the founding head of Yardi School of Artificial Intelligence until September 2023. He is also an affiliate professor at University of Washington, Seattle. Recently, his research is exploring neuro-symbolic machine learning, computer vision for radiology, NLP for robotics, multilingual NLP, and several threads in intelligent information systems that include information extraction, knowledge base completion, question answering, and dialogue systems. He has over 100 archival papers to his credit, along with a book, two best paper awards, and one test of time award. Mausam was awarded the AAAI Fellow status in 2024 for his sustained contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and unusual distinction in the profession. He was also elected as a fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) -- an apex body for India's most distinguished engineers, engineer-scientists and technologists. He was named as one of the 30 Indian Minds Leading the AI Revolution by Forbes India. *About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #TGTGPodcast #AnirudhSuri #AI #TheGreatTechGame #VilasDhar #patrickjmcgovernfoundation #aiforgood #philanthropy #responsibleai #climatetrace #globalsouth #globalsouthai

In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, member of the UN High Level Advisory Body on AI, and Harvard Kennedy School alum, to unpack Vilas' unique perspective on how technology can be harnessed as a force for global good. The conversation explores Vilas’s personal journey—from a childhood split between rural Illinois and villages outside Bangalore—to his current work overseeing half a billion dollars in investments focused on responsible AI. Dhar highlights successful initiatives like Climate Trace, which uses data to monitor carbon emissions, as examples of how AI can serve humanity beyond mere profit. The conversation addresses the importance of moving away from a Western-centric "AI race" toward a model of inclusive leadership.Key topics include:* How local constraints in the Global South are driving world-class innovation, such as India’s Sarvam AI.* The transition from tech "overdependence" to global interdependence, where every country finds its unique niche.* Real-world examples of AI for good, including Climate Trace, a platform for tracking carbon emissions used by thousands of organizations.* Why the next generation of students in Indian universities gives Vilas more hope for the future than anything coming out of Silicon Valley.Watch Anirudh and Vilas in conversation to understand what an AI-enabled world could look like if we started from values and principles first, as the world's AI conversation moves to India.Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.Chapters & Timestamps00:00 – Introduction & Reflections on the India AI Summit02:30 – A Journey Between Two Worlds05:15 – The Patrick McGovern Foundation & Responsible AI06:45 – AI for Good: Tracking Climate Change with Climate Trace08:30 – India’s AI Strategy: Innovation, Constraints, and Sarvam AI11:00 – From Overdependence to Global Interdependence in AI13:15 – Why Indian University Students are the Real Source of Hope15:30 – Shifting the Narrative: From "AI Race" to "AI Leadership"18:00 – Grounding Technology in Music, Arts, and Human Values20:15 – Final Reflections & Book/Podcast Recommendations-------Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Vilas Dhar*Vilas Dhar is recognized as a leading global expert on the future of AI and its role in shaping society. As President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, he leads one of the world’s foremost philanthropies committed to demonstrating how data and AI can be harnessed to advance equity, human dignity, and collective progress. Vilas has also served as a member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence, and is the U.S. Government’s nominated expert to the Global Partnership on AI. Read more about Patrick J. McGovern Foundation here: https://www.mcgovern.org/Climate Trace Project: https://climatetrace.org/*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #TGTGPodcast #AnirudhSuri #AI #TheGreatTechGame #VilasDhar #patrickjmcgovernfoundation #aiforgood #philanthropy #responsibleai #climatetrace #globalsouth #globalsouthai

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with *Ambassador Thomas Schneider* who led the negotiations for the *world's first binding international treaty on Artificial Intelligence.* Ambassador Schneider shares his views on how Switzerland is adopting a decentralised, bottoms up approach to devising its AI strategy, unlike other countries that have a top-down, centralised approach, and what AI for good really means. As the person who will also be helping put together the 2027 Switzerland AI Summit, he also shares how Switzerland is planning to leverage its "trusted hub" reputation in the world of AI as well.We explore:- How can a small country compete with AI giants like the US and China? Discover why Switzerland doesn't have one single, centralised "AI strategy" and how they use an "agile ecosystem" to stay ahead.- Is a global treaty on AI actually possible? Hear from the person who negotiated with 55 countries to create shared AI rules for a fragmented world.- Will AI take our jobs in the next five years? We discuss the risk of 10% to 20% of office jobs being displaced and which skills humans must keep for themselves.- Who is responsible when AI goes wrong? We explore the idea of "liability" and why companies should pay for the risks they create.- In a world optimized for efficiency, how do we ensure ecologically responsible energy choices? - How can we avoid some of the same mistakes made during the Industrial Revolution that are causing an ecological crisis now?---The AI Futures Podcast series, hosted by Anirudh Suri, is organized in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* as the intellectual prelude to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 being held from Feb 16 - 20, 2026 in New Delhi, India.Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/ Whether you are a student, a policymaker, or just curious about the future of AI, this conversation breaks down the complex world of AI into lessons we can all understand.---*About Thomas Schneider*Thomas Schneider is Ambassador and Director of International Affairs at the Swiss Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) in the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC). He is a long-standing expert in digital governance and in the governance of the information and knowledge society and artificial intelligence. He led the negotiations for the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, adopted in 2024 as the world's first legally binding international treaty on AI. *About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association.The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AnirudhSuri #ThomasSchneider

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, host Anirudh Suri, tech investor and policy advisor, sits down with Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer of Cisco, for a raw and visionary conversation about the AI revolution. This conversation is a deep exploration of how AI is reshaping business, labor, and society, interwoven with the inspiring story of how Jeetu rose to one of the most influential leadership roles. Whether you're a developer, a student, or a business leader, this interview provides a roadmap for thriving in a world where AI is no longer a tool, but a colleague. Key Discussion Points:- How can countries like India carve out leadership amidst the US-China duopoly in AI?- How are companies like Cisco positioning themselves in the AI revolution?- Why modern software development has "completely flipped" and what it means for the next generation of engineers.- How will organizational structures change as AI automates entry-level tasks? - What skills should the next generation build to stay relevant in an AI-driven world?- How do we embed trust, ethics, and human values into AI agents and AI systems?- Will AI make us intellectually weaker—or push us toward deeper thinking?-----The AI Futures Podcast series, hosted by Anirudh Suri, is organized in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* as the intellectual prelude to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 being held from Feb 16 - 20, 2026 in New Delhi, India.Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/-----*About Jeetu Patel*Jeetu Patel is the President and Chief Product Officer at Cisco and is recognized as one of the world’s leading thinkers on product strategy and technological disruption. Under his leadership, Cisco has driven innovation across its broad portfolio of products, establishing the company as the critical infrastructure for the AI era.Patel joined Cisco in 2020 to lead the collaboration and security business. He quickly became recognized for his commitment to product design and user experience, leading the team through a period of rapid innovation to transform Webex and support customers through the global pandemic. In 2024 he was promoted to the role of Chief Product Officer, where he now leads several multibillion-dollar categories, including networking, computing, security, Splunk, and more.*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, and the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #AI #Cisco #FutureOfWork #JeetuPatel #AnirudhSuri #Coding #IndiaTech #TechLeadership #TGTGpodcast #AIcoding #humanintheloop #AIsecurity #TechSovereignty #FutureOfWork #AIStrategy #India #PersonalJourney #Podcast

In this episode of the *AI Futures* Podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with Anne Neuberger, former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology under the Biden administration, to explore the intersection of AI and cybersecurity.As cyber conflict has evolved from a human-led “cat-and-mouse” game to a machine-against-machine battlefield, we unpack critical questions in this episode:- How is AI reshaping both cyber threats and cyber defense?- As attacks become faster and more scalable, can defenders realistically keep up?- Who are the key actors in cyberspace today — nation-states, criminals, transnational groups — and how do they operate in a borderless digital domain?- Can AI-driven secure code meaningfully reduce systemic vulnerabilities?- How can AI strengthen the protection of critical national infrastructure?- What can the world learn from India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (India Stack)?- And as AI automates technical work, what cross-disciplinary skills will define the next generation of leaders?As non-state actors proliferate and geopolitics increasingly plays out in cyberspace, this conversation offers a rare policymaker’s perspective on how these risks should be managed.Watch Anirudh and Anne in conversation to understand what’s at stake in the world of AI and cyber, as the world’s AI conversation moves to India.#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #TGTGPodcast #AnirudhSuri #AI #TheGreatTechGame #cyberattacks #cybersecurity #AICyberSecurity #AnneNeuberger

In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, Anirudh Suri sits down with Iqbal Dhaliwal, the Global Executive Director of MIT’s Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), at the India AI Impact Summit. They explore the shift from traditional technology in development to the rapid rise of AI, focusing on how countries like India can leverage these tools for the public good while avoiding common pitfalls of "hype" over "impact."This interview explores the evolving role of technology in global development, specifically comparing historical innovations like the Green Revolution to the rapid, multimodal rise of artificial intelligence. Dhaliwal emphasizes that while AI offers unprecedented speed and accessibility, it should be viewed as a functional enabler rather than a standalone solution. He critiques the current tendency to prioritize user engagement metrics over tangible life outcomes, urging development practitioners to focus on rigorous impact evaluation. Our discussion also highlights the need for locally-derived applications that address specific regional challenges, such as South Asian healthcare needs or tax compliance. Ultimately, Iqbal suggests that for nations like India to succeed, they must balance technological adoption with supportive labor policies and a commitment to democratizing research.0:00 – Introduction 1:30 – From Seeds to Laptops: The History of Tech in Development 3:45 – Why the AI Revolution is "Breathtakingly" Different 6:15 – Economists vs. Technologists: Who Should Lead? 8:30 – AI as an Enabler: The Brazil Essay Grading Case Study A practical example of AI in action10:45 – The Problem with "Vanity Metrics" in AI Dhaliwal critiques the focus on "intermediate outcomes" like downloads and subscribers, and that true impact must be measured by final outcomes.13:20 – Avoiding the "AI Trap": Call Centers vs. High-Tech A warning against being a "solution in search of a problem"15:45 – Why Local Context Matters: Silicon Valley vs. India The conversation explores the gap between Western "labor-replacing" tech and the need for "labor-enhancing" tech in India18:15 – India as a "Digital Outlier" India is described as being on the "right side of the digital divide" for the first time.20:30 – Policy Advice: Fixing the Labor-AI Incentive Gap Dhaliwal offers advice for the Labor Minister.22:45 – Using AI for Progressive Taxation For the Finance Minister, Dhaliwal suggests the focus areas.25:00 – Democratizing Tech at the AI Impact Summit A reflection on how the India AI Impact Summit democratized access to tech leaders like Sam Altman and Sundar Pichai, moving beyond a small circle of intellectuals to reach the public.27:30 – Launching the "Evaluation Playbook" About Anirudh SuriAnirudh Suri is the host of the AI Futures Podcast and the "Great Tech Game" series. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School’s MPP program and has a professional background in venture capital, which he uses to bridge the gap between frontier technology and economic policy. His work focuses on how the "Global Tech Game" is shifting and how countries like India can navigate the evolving geopolitical and technological landscape.About Iqbal DhaliwalIqbal Dhaliwal is the Global Executive Director of MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). An economist by training and an alumnus of Princeton, he has dedicated his career to using rigorous evaluation to improve development outcomes worldwide. In addition to his leadership at MIT, he serves on the boards of several high-impact organizations, including Rocket Learning, Nura Health, and Adalat AI, where he helps guide the application of technology for the public good.#AI #India #EconomicDevelopment #MIT #JPAL #TechForGood #IndiaAIImpactSummit #AnirudhSuri #IqbalDhaliwal #DigitalDivide #PublicGood #Innovation #Policy #FutureOfWork

In this episode of the *AI Futures* Podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with Ren Ito, the Co-founder and CEO of Sakana AI—Japan’s fastest-ever unicorn startup.Ren brings a unique perspective to the table, blending 15 years of experience in the Japanese Foreign Service with leadership roles at tech giants like Mercari. They explore why the future of AI isn't just a "bigger is better" arms race and how countries like India and Japan can carve out their own strategic autonomy in a shifting global landscape.In this episode, we unpack key questions including:• Is the "scaling law" of AI sustainable? • Is the "bigger is better" approach only be for a handful of hyperscalers, and how the rest of the world can find a different, more efficient path?• How can nations achieve "strategic autonomy" in a bipolar US-China tech world? • Can we balance AI progress with ecological sustainability? • Will AI create a new "digital divide" in the workforce? • What does "AI as Soft Power" mean for global diplomacy? From the "switchboard" approach to model building to the role of AI as a form of soft power, this conversation dives deep into the intersections of technology, diplomacy, and the human element.🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.-----Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Ren Ito*Ren Ito is the Co-Founder and COO of Sakana AI, Japan’s fastest unicorn after one year in business, backed by Nvidia and a broad spectrum of Japanese enterprises. Previously, Ren was CEO of Mercari Europe, Japan’s first unicorn. Before tech, Ren spent 15 years as a Japanese diplomat where he worked on the security alliance with the US, negotiated a free trade agreement with the EU, and represented Japan at the World Bank board. *About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association.The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #tgtgpodcast #anirudhsuri#AI #renito #thegreattechgame #aifuturespodcast #ArtificialIntelligence #Geopolitics #Sustainability #SakanaAI #TechSovereignty #IndiaAI #FutureOfWork #AIStrategy #uschina

In this episode of the *AI Futures* Podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with Ren Ito, the Co-founder and CEO of Sakana AI—Japan’s fastest-ever unicorn startup.Ren brings a unique perspective to the table, blending 15 years of experience in the Japanese Foreign Service with leadership roles at tech giants like Mercari. They explore why the future of AI isn't just a "bigger is better" arms race and how countries like India and Japan can carve out their own strategic autonomy in a shifting global landscape.In this episode, we unpack key questions including:• Is the "scaling law" of AI sustainable? • Is the "bigger is better" approach only be for a handful of hyperscalers, and how the rest of the world can find a different, more efficient path?• How can nations achieve "strategic autonomy" in a bipolar US-China tech world? • Can we balance AI progress with ecological sustainability? • Will AI create a new "digital divide" in the workforce? • What does "AI as Soft Power" mean for global diplomacy? From the "switchboard" approach to model building to the role of AI as a form of soft power, this conversation is a must-watch for those interested in understanding alternative strategies being adopted by countries and companies.🎧 Watch soon to understand what’s at stake as the world’s AI conversation moves to India.#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #tgtgpodcast #anirudhsuri#AI #renito #thegreattechgame #aifuturespodcast #ArtificialIntelligence #Geopolitics #Sustainability #SakanaAI #TechSovereignty #IndiaAI #FutureOfWork #AIStrategy #uschina

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with Jay Chaudhry, the entrepreneur behind Zscaler and a pioneer in the cybersecurity world. From his humble beginnings in a small village in Himachal Pradesh to founding a string of groundbreaking tech companies in Silicon Valley, Jay shares his unique perspective on the "mega waves" of technology and why he believes *AI is the biggest wave of all—a "gigawave"*.We dive deep into how the cyber threat landscape has shifted from simple website defacing to nation-state spying and attacks on critical infrastructure like the Colonial Pipeline attack. Jay explains why traditional "castle and moat" security is failing and why the world must move toward a Zero Trust architecture.In this conversation, we explore:- How do modern cyberattacks actually unfold? How are hackers using AI to identify vulnerabilities in under 30 seconds?- Is India moving toward becoming a global hub for high-tech manufacturing and R&D?- If humans are today’s weakest link, could tomorrow’s threat come from thousands of hijacked AI agents running amok?- Is “hunger and hustle” more decisive than strategy? Is adversity be a founder’s greatest advantage?-- As AI accelerates into a “gigawave,” how will we keep our systems secure against intelligent threats?🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.-----Follow the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Jay Chaudhry*Jay is an accomplished entrepreneur, and has founded a series of successful companies, including AirDefense, CipherTrust, CoreHarbor, SecureIT, and Zscaler, now a public company as of March 16, 2018.Prior to founding Zscaler in 2008, he founded and led AirDefense, a wireless security pioneer, before its acquisition by Motorola. From 2000 to 2006, Jay founded and led CipherTrust, the industry’s first email security gateway, before its merger with Secure Computing. He also founded and led CoreHarbor, a managed ecommerce solution, before it was acquired by USi/AT&T.*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association. He tweets @AnirudhSuri.The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #tgtgpodcast #anirudhsuri #jaychaudhry #zscaler #AIAgents #hackers #cyberhackers #zerotrustsecurity #cloudsecurity #cybersecurity #cyberattacks #ai #podcast #thegreattechgame #digitalsovereignty #datacenters #datasovereignty

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, host Anirudh Suri sits down with Jay Chaudhry, the entrepreneur behind Zscaler and a pioneer in the cybersecurity world. From his humble beginnings in a small village in Himachal Pradesh to founding a string of groundbreaking tech companies in Silicon Valley, Jay shares his unique perspective on the "mega waves" of technology and why he believes *AI is the biggest wave of all—a "gigawave"*.We dive deep into how the cyber threat landscape has shifted from simple website defacing to nation-state spying and attacks on critical infrastructure like the Colonial Pipeline attack. Jay explains why traditional "castle and moat" security is failing and why the world must move toward a Zero Trust architecture.In this conversation, we explore:- How do modern cyberattacks actually unfold? How are hackers using AI to identify vulnerabilities in under 30 seconds?- Is India moving toward becoming a global hub for high-tech manufacturing and R&D?- If humans are today’s weakest link, could tomorrow’s threat come from thousands of hijacked AI agents running amok?- Is “hunger and hustle” more decisive than strategy? Is adversity be a founder’s greatest advantage?-- As AI accelerates into a “gigawave,” how will we keep our systems secure against intelligent threats?🎧 Watch soon to understand what’s at stake as the world’s AI conversation moves to India.#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #tgtgpodcast #anirudhsuri #jaychaudhry #zscaler #AIAgents #hackers #cyberhackers #zerotrustsecurity #cloudsecurity #cybersecurity #cyberattacks #ai #podcast #thegreattechgame #digitalsovereignty #datacenters #datasovereignty

In this episode of *AI Futures* , host Anirudh Suri sits down with Professor Yoshua Bengio — Turing Award winner and one of the world’s most influential AI researchers, and chair of the International AI Safety Report (2025 and 2026) — for a wide-ranging conversation on what the next phase of AI progress could mean for global power, economic inequality, and human control.As AI systems grow more capable and increasingly autonomous the stakes are no longer theoretical. From AI agents that can plan, deceive, and evade oversight to an intensifying US–China AI arms race, this episode explores whether the world is heading toward shared prosperity or a second great divergence.In this conversation, we explore:• Why is the US–China competition blocking effective global regulation?• What can “middle powers” like India and Canada do to avoid being left out?• What “deceptive alignment” means—and why AI models' deception tendencies is worrying leading researchers• How AI could be misused for cyberattacks or biological threats• Will AI will displace more white-collar jobs than it creates?• Can AI be built as a global public good, rather than a winner-takes-all race?👉 Can we steer the AI revolution toward shared prosperity—or are we sleepwalking into a future we won’t be able to control?🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.-----Follow the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Yoshua Bengio*Recognized worldwide as one of the leading experts in artificial intelligence, Yoshua Bengio is most known for his pioneering work in deep learning, earning him the 2018 A.M. Turing Award, “the Nobel Prize of Computing,” with Geoffrey Hinton and Yann LeCun, and making him the computer scientist with the largest number of citations and h-index. Concerned about the social impact of AI, he actively contributed to the Montreal Declaration for the Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence and currently chairs the International AI Safety Report.Read the AI International Safety Report, chaired by Prof. Yoshua Bengio: https://internationalaisafetyreport.org/publication/international-ai-safety-report-2026*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association. He tweets @AnirudhSuri.The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #GlobalGovernance #anirudhsuri #YoshuaBengio #thegreattechgame #TGTGpodcast #AIAgents #AIRisks #uschina #aimisuse #InternationalAISafetyReport #CyberAttacks #AI #MiddlePowers #Canada #India #Japan #DeceptiveAlignment #TechAlliances #podcast

In this episode of *AI Futures* , host Anirudh Suri sits down with Professor Yoshua Bengio — Turing Award winner and one of the world’s most influential AI researchers, and chair of the International AI Safety Report (2025 and 2026) — for a wide-ranging conversation on what the next phase of AI progress could mean for global power, economic inequality, and human control.As AI systems grow more capable and increasingly autonomous the stakes are no longer theoretical. From AI agents that can plan, deceive, and evade oversight to an intensifying US–China AI arms race, this episode explores whether the world is heading toward shared prosperity or a second great divergence.In this conversation, we explore:• Why is the US–China competition blocking effective global regulation?• What can “middle powers” like India and Canada do to avoid being left out?• What “deceptive alignment” means—and why AI models' deception tendencies is worrying leading researchers• How AI could be misused for cyberattacks or biological threats• Will AI will displace more white-collar jobs than it creates?• Can AI be built as a global public good, rather than a winner-takes-all race?Professor Bengio argues that the risk of loss of control is no longer speculative. Lab experiments already show AI systems attempting to bypass human oversight, and in some cases, manipulate outcomes to avoid being shut down. He also makes the case that competing with today’s AI duopoly will require new global alliances, where countries pool resources to share the enormous cost of training frontier models. Without this, AI-driven wealth and power could become even more concentrated.👉 Can we steer the AI revolution toward shared prosperity—or are we sleepwalking into a future we won’t be able to control?🎧 Watch soon to understand what’s at stake as the world’s AI conversation moves to India.Read the AI International Safety Report, chaired by Prof. Yoshua Bengio: https://internationalaisafetyreport.org/publication/international-ai-safety-report-2026#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #GlobalGovernance #anirudhsuri #YoshuaBengio #thegreattechgame #TGTGpodcast #AIAgents #AIRisks #uschina #aimisuse #InternationalAISafetyReport #CyberAttacks #AI #MiddlePowers #Canada #India #Japan #DeceptiveAlignment #TechAlliances #podcast

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, Anirudh Suri sits down with UN Under-Secretary General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, Amandeep Gill. USG Gill offers a glimpse into the global governance of AI, the "looming AI divide," and the urgent need for international cooperation to prevent a "second great divergence" between the Global North and South. The conversation dives deep into the high-stakes risks of concentration of power, the sustainability crisis facing AI infrastructure, and the human impact on children’s mental health and cognitive development.Questions unpacked in this episode:- What new mechanisms is the UN building to ensure all countries can shape the AI future?- Will AI trigger a “second great divergence”?- Why does a single Chinese university have more compute power than the entire continent of Africa?- Are we facing a “cognitive decline” due to the increasing use of AI?- How do we ensure global AI standards are tech-neutral and inclusive, rather than set by dominant powers?- How can countries like India and Nigeria move from “market bystanders” to active players in the AI ecosystem?- Will AI create new productive opportunities—or displace the entry-level coders and data analysts of tomorrow?🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.------Follow the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About USG Amandeep Gill*United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on 10 June 2022 the appointment of Amandeep Singh Gill of India as his Envoy on Technology. Mr. Gill is the Chief Executive Officer of the International Digital Health and Artificial Intelligence Research Collaborative (I-DAIR) project, based at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. *About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association. He tweets @AnirudhSuri.The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #globalgovernance #aiguardrails #anirudhsuri #amandeepgill #unsecretarygeneral #unitednations #ai #aiimpact #standards #digitaldivide #AIDivide #digitalsovereignty #Techsovereignty #nigeria #africa #india #aifutures #tgtgpodcast #thegreattechgame #podcast

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, host Anirudh Suri will sit down with Amandeep Gill, the UN Under-Secretary General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies. USG Gill offers a glimpse into the global governance of AI, the "looming AI divide," and the urgent need for international cooperation to prevent a "second great divergence" between the Global North and South. The conversation dives deep into the high-stakes risks of concentration of power, the sustainability crisis facing AI infrastructure, and the human impact on children’s mental health and cognitive development.Questions unpacked in this episode:- What new mechanisms is the UN building to ensure all countries can shape the AI future?- Will AI trigger a “second great divergence”?- Why does a single Chinese university have more compute power than the entire continent of Africa?- Are we facing a “cognitive decline” due to the increasing use of AI?- How do we ensure global AI standards are tech-neutral and inclusive, rather than set by dominant powers?- How can countries like India and Nigeria move from “market bystanders” to active players in the AI ecosystem?- Will AI create new productive opportunities—or displace the entry-level coders and data analysts of tomorrow?🎧 Watch soon to understand what’s at stake as the world’s AI conversation moves to India.#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #globalgovernance #aiguardrails #anirudhsuri #amandeepgill #unsecretarygeneral #unitednations #ai #aiimpact #standards #digitaldivide #AIDivide #digitalsovereignty #Techsovereignty #nigeria #africa #india #aifutures #tgtgpodcast #thegreattechgame #podcast

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, we speak with Professor Stuart Russell, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, one of the world’s leading experts on artificial intelligence, and the author of the field’s standard textbook, _AI: A Modern Approach_ .The *AI Futures* podcast series is hosted by Anirudh Suri, in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* This podcast serves as the intellectual prelude to the *India AI Impact Summit 2026* , which is taking place from February 16–20, 2026, in New Delhi, India.In this conversation, Professor Russell and Anirudh discuss how fast AI is changing, the limits of today’s dominant ways of building AI systems, and why there is a growing need for global rules to keep AI safe. They explore key questions such as:- How close are we really to Artificial General Intelligence?- Does today’s 'brute force' approach of using more data and computing power risk creating an economic bubble?- Where is AI making the biggest real-world impact right now, in areas like healthcare, education, or science?- Which countries have the strongest AI strategies, and why is the U.S. approach of resisting regulation surprising?- Could the “Age of AI” weaken our mental skills, much like the Industrial Revolution reduced the need for physical labor?This conversation looks at what it will take to move AI debates beyond theory and into real-world outcomes, especially for the Global South.🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.-----Follow the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Prof. Stuart Russell*Stuart J. Russell is professor (and formerly chair) of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley. He is holder of the Smith-Zadeh Chair in Engineering and director of the Centre for Human-Compatible AI. His book *Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach* is the standard text in AI; it has been translated into 14 languages and is used in over 1,400 universities in 128 countries.*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association. He tweets @AnirudhSuri.The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#AIFuturesPodcast #IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AISummit #AIFutures #ArtificialIntelligence #AGI #Computing #GlobalSouth #DataCenters #AIInfrastructure #AnirudhSuri #StuartRussell #UCBerkeley #AIEthics #TheGreatTechGame #TGTGpodcast #podcast #IndiaAIMission

In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, we speak with Professor Stuart Russell, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, one of the world’s leading experts on artificial intelligence, and the author of the field’s standard textbook, _AI: A Modern Approach_ .The *AI Futures* podcast series is hosted by Anirudh Suri, in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* This podcast serves as the intellectual prelude to the *India AI Impact Summit 2026* , which is taking place from February 16–20, 2026, in New Delhi, India.In this conversation, Professor Russell and Anirudh discuss how fast AI is changing, the limits of today’s dominant ways of building AI systems, and why there is a growing need for global rules to keep AI safe. They explore key questions such as:- How close are we really to Artificial General Intelligence?- Does today’s 'brute force' approach of using more data and computing power risk creating an economic bubble?- Where is AI making the biggest real-world impact right now, in areas like healthcare, education, or science?- Which countries have the strongest AI strategies, and why is the U.S. approach of resisting regulation surprising?- Could the “Age of AI” weaken our mental skills, much like the Industrial Revolution reduced the need for physical labor?This conversation looks at what it will take to move AI debates beyond theory and into real-world outcomes, especially for the Global South.🎧 Watch soon to understand what’s at stake as the global conversation on AI shifts to India.#AIFuturesPodcast #IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AISummit #AIFutures #ArtificialIntelligence #AGI #Computing #GlobalSouth #DataCenters #AIInfrastructure #AnirudhSuri #StuartRussell #UCBerkeley #AIEthics #TheGreatTechGame #TGTGpodcast #podcast #IndiaAIMission

*As France passes the Global AI Summit baton to India, what can we expect from the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026?* In the first episode of our podcast series *AI Futures: The Road to the India AI Impact Summit 2026* , we speak with Anne Bouverot, Special AI Envoy of the French President Emmanuel Macron. Bouverot organized the previous global AI summit - The AI Action Summit - in Paris in 2025. The AI Futures Podcast series, hosted by Anirudh Suri, is organized in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* in the run up to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 being held from Feb 16 - 20, 2026 in New Delhi, India.Bouverot and Suri unpack how the global AI race is shifting beyond a US–China race, and why countries like India and France want to be actors, not just customers, in the AI economy. They deep dive into questions like:- Why is “Impact” the core focus of the upcoming AI summit being hosted by India?- Can AI leadership be multi-polar, or will it remain a US - China race?- What are the energy and climate cost implications of large-scale AI? - What are the most exciting use cases of AI that we can expect in 2026?- Will AI simply reshape work—or quietly hollow out human skills?From geopolitics and talent flows to democracy, energy, and the future of work, this conversation asks what it will take to move AI debates from theory to real-world outcomes—especially for the Global South. And includes a special Rapid Fire session with Bouverot!🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.Follow the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Anne Bouverot* Anne Bouverot is Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS-PSL), and the French President's special envoy for the AI Action Summit. She has spent most of her career in the technology sector and now advises a number of public and private technology companies and scale ups. With economist Philippe Aghion, in 2024 she co-chaired the Commission that published the report ‘AI: our ambition for France’.*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: http://www.anirudhsuri.com/Book and Podcast: http://www.greattechgame.com/#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AISummit #franceai #indiafrance #globalsouth #indiafrancerelations #geopolitics #AnneBouverot #AnirudhSuri #aifutures #thegreattechgame #AIFuturesPodcast

As the global AI summit baton passes from Paris to Delhi, what does the next phase of AI governance really look like?In the first episode of AI Futures , we speak with Anne Bouverot, Special Envoy of the French President, who organized the AI Action Summit in Paris in 2025. We unpack how the global AI race is shifting beyond a US–China race, and why countries like India and France want to be actors, not just customers, in the AI economy.We dive into questions like:Can AI leadership be multi-polar?Who bears the energy and climate costs of large-scale AI?Will AI reshape work—or quietly hollow out human skills?And why is “impact” the core focus of India’s upcoming AI summit?From geopolitics and talent flows to democracy, energy, and the future of work, this conversation asks what it will take to move AI debates from theory to real-world outcomes—especially for the Global South.🎧 Watch soon to understand what’s at stake as the world’s AI conversation moves to India.#indiaai #indiaaiimpactsummit2026 #aisummit #franceai #indiafrance #globalsouth #indiafrancerelations #geopolitics #anirudhsuri #aifutures #thegreattechgame #tgtgpodcast

#AIFuturesPodcast #IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026We’re excited to launch AI Futures: The Road to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 - the official podcast of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 being hosted by India in New Delhi from Feb 15 - 20, 2026.As India takes centre stage in global AI conversations following the Paris AI Summit last year, this series is the official podcast of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India. The podcast is hosted by author, policy advisor and venture capitalist Anirudh Suri who also hosts The Great Tech Game Podcast.As AI adoption accelerates worldwide, the Summit shifts the focus from hype to measurable impact, positioning India as a key convener for the Global South and beyond. Through conversations with policymakers, technologists, and global thinkers, the AI Futures podcast examines how AI can be governed, deployed, and scaled.In the run up to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, we will bring you the top AI leaders and decision makers from around the world.👉 Subscribe now and stay tuned for our next conversation. 🎧------------------------Follow the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/Host of the Podcast, Anirudh Suri: The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin:   / anirudhsuri  Instagram:   / anirudh_suri  Facebook:   / anirudhsuri.in  Website: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#AIFuturesPodcast #IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIsummit #AnirudhSuri #thegreattechgame #tgtgpodcast #geopolitics #techgeopolitics #meity #globalsouth #globaleconomy #india