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Google Leaders Hail AI's Social Impact at India AI Summit 2026

Google executives highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Parthasarthy Ranganathan emphasized the importance of applying AI for social good across sectors like healthcare and education. CEO Sundar Pichai stated AI is the biggest platform shift of our lifetime and that India stands to have an extraordinary trajectory with the technology. Pichai also announced the India America Connect initiative to boost AI connectivity with new subsea cable routes.

Key Points: Google's Pichai & Ranganathan on AI for Social Good in India

  • AI as a transformational technology
  • Focus on applying AI for social good
  • India's potential to leapfrog with AI
  • New subsea cable routes announced
  • AI impacts education, health, and workforce
2 min read

"It's been fantastic to see discussion so far": Parthasarthy Ranganathan, VP, Technical Fellow at Google on AI Impact Summit

Google's Sundar Pichai and Parthasarthy Ranganathan discuss AI as a transformational force for social impact and India's extraordinary trajectory at the AI Impact Summit.

"AI is the biggest platform shift of our lifetimes - Sundar Pichai"

New Delhi, February 18

Parthasarthy Ranganathan, Vice President, Technical Fellow at Google, hailed the discussions on the application of AI for social good at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Speaking with ANI, Ranganathan expressed excitement over the diverse perspectives shared at the platform. He further lauded AI as a "transformational technology" that impacts all aspects of human life. He also expressed optimism for the upcoming discussions at the Summit.

".. It's really valuable to bring everybody together and have these kinds of discussions, bring diverse perspectives. It's been fantastic to see the discussion so far... AI is a very transformational technology, and it's already affecting pretty much all aspects of our lives. Education, entertainment, productivity, workforce, and health. So to me, it's particularly important to start thinking about how we can apply AI for social good. I like the theme of this conference, which focuses on the impact of AI for good. I'm very excited about AI for healthcare...," Ranganathan stated.

Earlier in the day, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that AI was the biggest platform shift in our lifetime and that India stands to have an extraordinary trajectory with this technology.

Speaking at a special event hosted by Google on the sidelines of the AI-India Impact Summit, Pichai said that Google wants to be a partner with India in its AI journey.

"I believe India is going to have an extraordinary trajectory with AI, and we want to be a partner. AI is the biggest platform shift of our lifetimes and one of the most powerful tools to solve problems and improve lives at planetary scale. Whether it's making diseases more detectable and treatable, communities more resilient, or learning more accessible. For countries like India, AI presents a chance to leapfrog age-old gaps and create new opportunities. These also happen to be the places where we see the greatest adoption and optimism for AI technologies, which I don't think is a coincidence. Google has been investing in AI for more than a decade because we see it as the most important way to advance our mission," he said.

Pichai also announced the India America Connect initiative, which will deliver new subsea cable routes to increase AI connectivity, along with several other initiatives of Google.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Fantastic to hear! The subsea cable initiative for AI connectivity is a game-changer. Better infrastructure means startups in tier-2 cities can also innovate. Hope the benefits trickle down beyond the metros.
A
Aditya G
While the optimism is good, I hope there's equal discussion about the risks. Job displacement in our vast workforce is a real concern. Summits should also have sessions with labour unions and small business owners, not just tech leaders.
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Sarah B
AI for healthcare in the Indian context could be revolutionary. Imagine AI tools helping diagnose diseases in remote primary health centres where specialist doctors are scarce. This is the 'social good' we need to prioritize.
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Karthik V
Proud moment to see Indian-origin executives shaping global AI discourse. But let's also build our own homegrown giants, not just be a market for foreign tech. Make in India for AI should be the next step.
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Meera T
The focus on 'leapfrogging' is key. We missed parts of the industrial revolution, but we can lead in the AI era. However, this requires massive investment in digital literacy and local language models. Jai Hind!

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