88 Nations Endorse New Delhi Declaration on AI
The AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi concluded with 88 countries endorsing the “New Delhi Declaration,” a pact focused on equity, economic opportunity, and international cooperation in AI development. India’s Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that practical international alliances are necessary for AI to benefit all of humanity, with a particular focus on including the Global South.
- The declaration is a non-binding framework organized around seven "chakras" or pillars, including democratizing AI resources, ensuring secure and trusted AI, and developing human capital. It aims to translate broad principles into coordinated global action. - Key initiatives launched through the declaration include the "Global AI Impact Commons" for sharing successful use cases, a "Trusted AI Commons" as a repository for best practices and tools, and an "International Network of AI for Science Institutions" to foster research collaboration. - The summit resulted in $250 billion in overall investment commitments, with $20 billion specifically earmarked for frontier deep-tech research. - In a significant diplomatic development for India, both the United States and China endorsed the declaration, a broader consensus than at previous summits where the US and UK declined to sign a similar pact in Paris. - The declaration promotes voluntary guiding principles for reskilling and a workforce development playbook to prepare for an AI-driven economy. - Diverging from the EU’s comprehensive, risk-based AI Act, the New Delhi Declaration establishes a voluntary framework, reflecting a different approach to global AI governance that accommodates varied national priorities. - The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), ISO, and IEC are collaborating on an "International AI Standards Exchange" to align technical standards with governance frameworks, a parallel effort to the principles outlined in the New Delhi declaration. - China has been actively increasing its influence in international standards bodies like ISO and ITU through its "China Standards 2035" initiative, aiming to shape global technical norms for emerging technologies like AI.
