The coastal state of Odisha has taken a significant step in shaping India's artificial intelligence landscape by inaugurating the two-day Regional AI Impact Summit 2025 in its capital, Bhubaneswar. Organized by the state's Electronics and Information Technology Department, the summit aims to propel scalable AI solutions centered on the core principles of People, Planet, and Progress.
Democratizing AI for Mass Benefit
The summit convened a diverse group of policymakers, industry experts, academics, and startups. A central theme, emphasized by officials, is the democratization of AI. Saurabh Garg, Secretary of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, outlined the objective to make AI's benefits universally accessible, even to those unaware of the technology itself. He stressed the importance of multilingual access, the use of local datasets and context, and the non-negotiable integration of data security, safety, and ethics into all systems.
"We are discussing... with the objective that AI is available for the benefit of every person, irrespective of whether that person themselves are aware of AI or not," Garg stated, highlighting the inclusive vision.
Odisha's Pioneering AI Leadership
Odisha's commitment to AI is not new. Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary of Energy & IT, Government of Odisha, asserted that the state is the first in India to have a dedicated AI policy. The government aims to maintain this leadership position in using AI for governance and to attract investments in the sector.
"We want to maintain this lead and preserve our pioneer position in the use of AI in governance," Dev told ANI. He detailed the Odisha AI Mission, launched in June 2025, which mirrors the national IndiaAI Mission. Its pillars include implementing AI use cases in health, education, and disaster management; enhancing government productivity with AI tools; and conducting widespread AI awareness and capacity-building programs in collaboration with organizations like the Wadhwani Foundation.
Roadmap to the Global IndiaAI Summit 2026
The Bhubaneswar summit also sets the stage for a larger global event. Odisha Minister Mukesh Mahaling announced that the state will host another regional AI summit following the landmark India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, scheduled for February 16-20, 2026. This global summit, a first for the Global South, is inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and his three sutras: People, Planet, and Progress, with the motto "welfare for all, happiness for all."
The outcomes from the ongoing Odisha summit will directly inform how AI can be utilized to monitor and improve governance modules. This event underscores India's broader, pragmatic approach to AI governance—a strategy developed after studying global frameworks and extensive stakeholder consultation—with a clear focus on solving real-world problems and improving lives across all sectors.
