India artificial intelligence – New Delhi: From reimagining classrooms to the jobs of the future, India’s artificial intelligence strategy is moving decisively towards people-first reform. Senior policy makers, academic leaders and industry experts identified lifelong learning, human enrichment and inclusive skills as central to India’s AI journey at the high-level Human Capital Working Group meeting held at IIT Guwahati on Monday. The two-day meeting (January 5-6) jointly organized by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), IndiaAI Mission, Government of Assam and IIT Guwahati is expected to shape policy inputs for the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to be held in New Delhi next month.
Chaired by Prof T G Seetharam, the deliberations focused on education reforms, workforce transformation and responsible, human-centric AI adoption as India prepares for massive economic and social disruption. Speakers from government and academia cautioned against narrow, fragmented skills models and called for a shift towards an ecosystem of lifelong learning. “The transition to an AI-enabled economy must be inclusive and people-centric,” Sitaram said, stressing that technological advancements must translate into respect, opportunity and flexibility for workers.
IndiaAI Joint Director Shikha Dahiya said the outcomes of the Guwahati deliberations will directly inform global level discussions at the summit, with a focus on democratizing AI resources, building indigenous models and enhancing the Global South perspective. Assam officials highlight risks of uncontrolled automation, urge policymakers.
Prioritize human enhancement over replacement and expand AI literacy as a public capability. The first day featured a keynote address on democratizing qualifications in the age of AI and panel discussions on gender-responsive AI strategies and redefining education for the cognitive age, highlighting the risks of increasing inequality if policy responses lag behind technological change. The meeting will conclude on Monday with consolidated recommendations to be included in India’s National AI Human Capital Roadmap aligned with Develop India 2047.