AI 360°: Unmasking AI for Society | Pre-Summit Event of India AI Impact Summit 2026
On January 10, 2026, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (AI & ML) at PES University, RR Campus hosted AI 360°: Unmasking AI for Society, an official pre-summit event of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. This landmark event aligned with India’s national vision for Artificial Intelligence, spearheaded by MeitY and IndiaAI, and explored AI’s multidimensional impact beyond technical boundaries—focusing on ethics, governance, and societal implications.
Event Highlights
- Inaugural Address: Dr. Saikat Saha, Technology Director at NASSCOM AI, emphasized India’s 15-year window to shape AI’s role in society and advocated for inclusive, affordable AI solutions.
- Keynote Talk: Mr. Girish Prabhu discussed the moral imperative of balancing AI innovation with ethical responsibility, highlighting issues like bias in AI systems and the need for collective governance.
- Panel Discussion: Experts from healthcare, aviation, academia, and industry examined AI’s transformative yet contextual impact across sectors, stressing ethical frameworks and interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Expert Talks:
- Legal & Ethical Dimensions: Dr. Aradhana Nair addressed copyright, liability, and global regulatory trends like the EU AI Act.
- AI & Mental Health: Ms. Veena Krishnamurthy explored AI’s influence on cognition, emotional well-being, and societal challenges such as addiction and isolation.
- Rapid Prototyping Challenge: Participants developed AI-based solutions for real-world issues using Generative AI tools, with top teams recognized for innovation and creativity.
Key Takeaways
The event reinforced that responsible AI adoption requires ethical governance, transparency, and human-centered design. It set the tone for the India AI Impact Summit by fostering dialogue among technologists, policymakers, and researchers to ensure AI serves as an enabler of inclusive and sustainable progress.
