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Over 2.5 lakh people, mostly under 30, attended the AI Expo at India’s AI Impact Summit, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Calling it a “phenomenal response”, he said the youth optimism eased his initial apprehension. Vaishnaw outlined India’s focus on practical AI use cases and urged experts to give concrete AI safety suggestions.

The second day of India's AI Impact Summit 2026 began on a high note, with Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw painting a vivid picture of what he had witnessed the previous day: over 2.5 lakh people, the majority of them under 30, thronging the AI Expo and the sprawling exhibition area in what he called a 'phenomenal response.'

Speaking at a press briefing early in the morning, Vaishnaw said the sheer scale of the turnout and the energy of the young attendees had transformed his own outlook. What began as a measure of apprehension, he said, had given way to something far more powerful, genuine optimism about India's AI-powered future.

"Yesterday, we had about 250,000 people, mostly young, the average age was, I think, below 30, attending the AI Expo and the entire exhibition area. It was a phenomenal response when I interacted with the young minds. I was so surprised at the optimism that most of the young people expressed towards this opportunity which is coming for them."

Vaishnaw described the moment as personally revelatory. "Initially, I was a bit apprehensive, but looking at their optimism, I'm feeling really hopeful for a totally new future for our country and for the world," he said.

India's AI Focus was highlighted

Beyond the crowd numbers, Vaishnaw used the briefing to lay out India's strategic priorities in the artificial intelligence space - and they are decidedly practical. India, he said, is not chasing AI as an abstract technological pursuit but as a tool for solving real, on-the-ground challenges at population scale.

He outlined a clear framework for where India sees AI making the most difference. "We, in India, are very focused on AI in the edge, AI for use cases, AI for solving problems — real world problems. AI for improving the productivity in the enterprises. AI for population scale problems like healthcare, like agriculture, like climate change. These are the things that we are focused on here in India," he said.

This framing positions India's AI ambitions not in competition with the global frontier research being led by US and European AI labs, but as a complementary and potentially distinctive track — one rooted in deployment, accessibility, and impact for the world's most populous nation.

A call For concrete ideas on AI safety

Vaishnaw also struck a note of responsibility, using the platform to call on the assembled global AI community to move beyond theoretical discussions about safety and deliver actionable recommendations.

"As we discuss various technical matters, I will request the topmost brains which are present here to please do bring some solid, concrete suggestions on how to make AI safe. This is a great tool. It should be used for the benefit of humans. It shouldn't be something which really distorts that balance."

The appeal for 'solid, concrete suggestions' — rather than broad principles — reflects a recurring theme at the summit: India wants to be a constructive and pragmatic voice in the global AI governance conversation, not a passive observer. The minister said he looked forward to the ideas and recommendations that would emerge from the symposium's technical sessions.