India ‘very successful’ emerging economy; right place to host AI summit: UN Chief Guterres

UN Chief Guterres praises India as a leading emerging economy and ideal host for the upcoming AI summit, advocating for global AI access.

India is a "very successful" emerging economy with a bigger influence in global affairs, and is the “right place” to host the AI summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

In an exclusive interview with PTI at the UN Headquarters ahead of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, Guterres underscored that artificial intelligence should benefit the entire world and not just be a privilege reserved for developed nations or two superpowers.

“I strongly congratulate India for organising this Summit. It's absolutely essential that AI develops itself to the benefit of everybody, everywhere and that countries in the Global South are part of the benefits of AI,” he said.

The high-powered event being held from February 16 to February 20 will be the first-ever AI summit hosted in the Global South and is anchored in the three guiding principles of ‘People, Planet and Progress’.

Mr. Guterres, who will be travelling to India to attend the Summit, asserted “it would be totally unacceptable that AI would be just a privilege of the most developed countries or a division only between two superpowers”, an apparent reference to the U.S. and China.

“It is absolutely essential that AI becomes a universal instrument for the benefit of humankind,” Mr. Guterres said.