3 min readNew DelhiFeb 14, 2026 09:59 PM IST
Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang has cancelled his much anticipated visit to India to attend the AI Impact Summit next week citing “unforeseen circumstances”. Huang was among the most influential people on the summit’s guest list, since his company is one of the key players that dominate the AI ecosystem due to its stronghold over computing devices.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, Jensen Huang is unable to travel to India at this time. Nvidia remains deeply committed to the AI Impact Summit and to India’s rapidly advancing AI ecosystem,” the chipmaking company said in a statement.
Following Huang’s last-minute cancellation, the company is now expected to be represented by its executive vice president, Jay Puri. Huang was expected to deliver a keynote address on Thursday, when the summit will be formally inaugurated.
The AI Impact Summit 2026, which India will host between February 16 and 20, is intended to generate actionable recommendations that contribute to long-term artificial AI governance objectives rather than framing immediate binding regulations.
Coming to the Global South for the first time, the AI Impact Summit 2026 represents the latest chapter in an evolving international conversation on AI governance. What began as the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in the UK in November 2023 — where 28 countries signed the landmark Bletchley Declaration focusing on identifying AI safety risks — has progressively broadened its scope. The Seoul Summit in May 2024 expanded discussions to include innovation and inclusivity alongside safety, while the Paris AI Action Summit in February 2025 emphasised practical implementation and economic opportunities, though the issues of safety and security were largely sidestepped.
The summit comes at a time of global upheavals, as conversations around AI have evolved from just looking at the upsides of the technology to mounting concerns over its impact on everyday jobs and its drain on resources like energy and power. Yet, most governments have outlined the technology as a strategic asset.
Governments, industry leaders, researchers, civil society organisations, and international institutions are set to attend the event. It is expected to witness participation from over 100 countries, including 15 to 20 heads of government, over 50 ministers from various countries, and more than 40 CEOs of leading global and Indian companies, such as Google’s Sundar Pichai and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event, and is also likely to host a dinner besides addressing a CEO roundtable.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
.