February 26 / 2026 / Reading Time: 3 minutes
Artificial intelligence, real-world impact
As artificial intelligence use expands and becomes part of our everyday lives, I’ve found myself thinking not just about a binary view of whether AI is “good” or “bad”, but rather how we choose to use it to benefit humanity. Decisions that we make now will shape where the balance of AI impact falls – and whether our children will inherit a safe digital world.
That question stayed with me when I attended the AI Impact Summit in Delhi, India.
Built around three sutras – people, planet and progress – the Summit was a moment for India to celebrate and encourage the application of, and innovation in, AI.
A summit defined by scale
The Summit really was the largest of its kind, with more than 150,000 participants, 500+ panels and events, and representation from over 100 countries across five days – all coming together to showcase the transformative impact of AI on humanity.
Optimism alongside recognition of risk
The benefits of AI were not discussed without acknowledging the risks that come with such powerful technologies. Conversations repeatedly returned to governance and accountability, as well as accessibility and transparency, with Prime Minister Modi himself stating that India is committed to responsible and ethical use of AI, and the importance of child safety.
Where children featured – and where they didn’t
One of the Summit’s seven chakras (themes) focused on Safe and Trusted AI. Within this, I was delighted that Childlight, alongside Space2Grow, could support the Expert Engagement Group on Child Safety as knowledge partners, chaired by iSPIRIT and convened by the Indian Ministry for Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Following a stakeholder convening in January, we were also able to support the Institute for Governance, Policies and Politics in hosting an event on Safeguarding Children in India’s AI Future.
The importance of this felt heightened by the fact that, despite a Summit tagline of “Welfare for All, Happiness of All”, fewer than five sessions out of more than 500 dealt explicitly with children and child safety. That was disappointing for a Summit of this scale – although it was genuinely encouraging to see so many school children attending the wider Summit and side-events such as the Global Youth Challenge and Tinkerpreneur programme.
What stood out from our session
Our event explored the potential benefits of AI, but not at any cost – especially when it comes to child safety. In particular, we discussed:
- Findings from a recent Childlight poll of young people in India, exploring their confidence in the safety of AI, alongside a strong belief that it is “only of benefit if used for good”
- The clear harms caused by AI-generated child sexual abuse images and deepfakes
- Seven practical recommendations from the Expert Engagement Group, presented by Space2Grow and iSPIRIT, formally recognised as outcomes from the Summit
- Reflections from AI builders, governors and implementers on the need for guardrails — including the refreshing view that AI should not be used at all if it cannot be trusted
Leaving Delhi with optimism – and open questions
The feeling of opportunity was palpable across the Summit. Rooms were filled to capacity, people spilled into corridors, sessions were broadcast live, and Delhi itself was adorned with posters, screens and even flower arrangements reflecting the Government’s pride, and belief in, AI’s future role in strengthening the nation.
This was a theme that we explored in our dedicated event, recognising the potential benefits of AI technologies, but not at any cost – especially to child safety. We covered the results of a Childlight recent poll of young people in India, exploring their confidence in the safety of AI, yet at the same time recognising that AI is “only of benefit if used for good”, setting clear lines around the harm caused by AI generated child sexual abuse images and “deepfakes”. Space2Grow and iSPIRIT presented six key recommendations from the Expert Engagement Group – and a hope that they are now taken further to action. A panel of voices across AI builders, governors and implementers reflected on the need for AI with guardrails and prioritising child safety by not using AI if it cannot be trusted – a refreshing position from LEGO.
Overall, the Summit was busy, often chaotic, but infused with optimism about India building on its technical heritage to lead in practical applications of AI for the benefit of its people. Whether that energy continues – and whether there is real appetite for AI that is designed, deployed and used responsibly – remains to be seen.
My hope is that the intent is real, that recent legislative changes signal continued progress for child safety, and that safety-by-design becomes something we see in practice, not just a buzzword.
---
About the Author:
Zoe Lambourne is Chief Operating Officer at Childlight Global Child Safety Institute.