February 2026 | 797 words | 2-minute read
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly becoming the backbone of global progress, reshaping not just industries but also the way nations build, innovate, and empower their citizens. Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran spotlighted this transformative shift at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
Against the backdrop of Bharat Mandapam — in the presence of world leaders, policymakers, and industry pioneers — he underscored a mission that is as ambitious as it is inclusive: to place the power of AI into the hands of every individual and watch it become the biggest equaliser.
AI: The next big infrastructure
“At the Tata Group, we are adopting AI across the stack — from silicon to systems to AI-ready data centres to applications and AI agents. And we believe such a vision and such a journey is going to be extremely exciting, and it will require us to work with world-leading partners in India and across the globe,” said Mr Chandrasekaran taking the main stage at the summit.
In his keynote address at Bharat Mandapam — which was attended by Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron, world leaders, global CEOs, and policymakers — Mr Chandrasekan described AI as the next big infrastructure that will transform industries and life itself with the same magnitude as steam engines, electricity, and the internet.
“Our mission should be to make AI work for every individual and every citizen in this country. We should put the AI tools in the hands of the last person in the country and, in fact, on the earth,” he added, citing the example of the Tata AI Sakhi Immersion Programme at the Summit to demonstrate AI’s unbound possibilities.
“Couple of days ago,” he said, “we witnessed 1,500 rural women here in Bharat Mandapam, who had no background to computing, no background to digital tools — in a matter of few hours — could learn AI, could build products, could build marketing materials, campaigns, all in front of a global audience. And they did it in 4 hours.”
Read the full text of his address: 'India is a nation of AI optimists.'
Tata x OpenAI: A Foundational Partnership
The Tata Group, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and OpenAI announced a multi-dimensional strategic partnership on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to drive AI-powered innovation across enterprise, consumer, and social sectors.
“This deep collaboration between OpenAI and Tata Group marks a major milestone in India’s vision to become a global leader in AI. We are pleased to partner with OpenAI to create state-of-the-art AI infrastructure in India. This is a unique opportunity for OpenAI and TCS to transform industries. Together, we will skill India’s youth and empower them to succeed in the AI era,” the Chairman noted.
The Tata AI Conclave
Mr Chandrasekaran also addressed the Tata AI Conclave Powered by CNBC TV18 on the transformative potential of AI for India’s growth and global leadership.
At the panel titled ‘Leadership in an AI-Driven Future’ with Marcus Wallenberg, Chairman, SEB & SAAB AB; and CS Venkatakrishnan, Group CEO, Barclays PLC, he noted, “If you put an AI tool in the hands of a common man in India, it’s going to be a game changer. AI is going to kill the barrier of high-value activities. Everyone can be empowered with AI. If we talk about inequality, AI is the biggest equaliser.”
Accelerating India
The Chairman and TCS CEO K Krithivasan visited the 10,000 sq ft Tata Pavilion at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 along with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Themed ‘Accelerating India: Infrastructure to Intelligence,’ the pavilion highlighted the Group’s commitment to building a full-stack AI ecosystem for the nation.
Walk Through the Tata Pavillion at the India AI Impact Summit 2026: Tata's AI Bet
- Monali Sarkar
