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Seattle University Hosts Briefing on India's 2026 AI Summit for Social Good

Seattle University and the Consulate General of India in Seattle co-hosted a briefing on the upcoming AI India Impact Summit 2026. The event highlighted India's strategy to use artificial intelligence as a tool for sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. Key speakers included Remitly CEO Matt Oppenheimer and Seattle University professor Onur Bakiner, who discussed AI investments and ethical challenges. The session is part of a series of pre-summit engagements, including an earlier briefing for U.S. Congress members and tech executives.

Key Points: India's AI Summit 2026 Focus on Social Good Discussed at Seattle U

  • Focus on AI for social good & sustainability
  • India's expanding AI ecosystem
  • Pre-summit briefing for students & faculty
  • High-level Seattle delegation expected
  • Part of series with earlier congressional briefing
2 min read

Seattle University hosts briefing on India's AI Summit

Seattle University and Indian Consulate host briefing on AI India Impact Summit 2026, highlighting AI for sustainability and inclusive growth.

"People, Planet, and Progress - Summit Theme"

Washington, Jan 14

Seattle University and the Consulate General of India in Seattle hosted a briefing session on the AI India Impact Summit 2026, highlighting India's approach to artificial intelligence as a tool for social good, sustainability and inclusive economic growth.

The event was held at the Casey Commons Conference Hall on the Seattle University campus on Monday and drew a large turnout of students and senior faculty. The discussion focused on the summit's theme, "People, Planet, and Progress," and provided an overview of India's expanding artificial intelligence ecosystem.

Organizers outlined how India is shaping its AI strategy around development goals, including support for sustainable growth and broader economic inclusion. The session aimed to introduce students and scholars to India's evolving role in global AI policy and innovation.

Matt Oppenheimer, the chief executive of the remittance company Remitly, delivered the keynote address. He spoke about Remitly's investments in India's AI-driven future and highlighted the company's operations in Bengaluru, citing benefits from reforms related to ease of doing business in India.

Onur Bakiner, a professor of political science at Seattle University and director of its Technology Ethics Initiative, also addressed the gathering. He spoke to students and scholars about the challenges posed by rapid advances in artificial intelligence and the opportunities emerging from the technology.

The Consul General of India in Seattle in his address, outlined preparations for the AI India Impact Summit 2026 and described the profile of the high-level delegation expected to participate from the Greater Seattle area.

The event was the second in a series of pre-summit briefings planned in the Greater Seattle region. An earlier session was held on November 7, 2025, at the Consulate General of India in Seattle for members of the US Congress and senior technology executives.

That earlier briefing included participation by US Representatives Adam Smith and Michael Baumgartner, along with representatives from Microsoft, Salesforce and Anicca Data Science Solutions.

The AI India Impact Summit is expected to bring together policymakers, industry leaders, academics and civil society groups to discuss the responsible and inclusive use of artificial intelligence.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K
Good initiative. But we must ensure this "inclusive growth" reaches tier-2 and tier-3 cities, not just Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The digital divide is real. The summit should have concrete sessions on skilling rural youth for AI jobs.
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Michael C
Interesting to see the collaboration between academia, consulate, and companies like Remitly. Seattle is a major tech hub, so engaging with them is smart diplomacy. Shows India is serious about being a rule-maker in AI ethics, not just a rule-taker.
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Siddharth J
Matt Oppenheimer mentioning ease of doing business reforms is key. That's what attracts foreign investment and tech partnerships. If we get the policy environment right, our talent pool can do wonders in AI. Jai Hind!
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Neha E
While the intent is good, I hope the actual summit in 2026 has strong representation from Indian civil society and ethicists, not just industry and policymakers. We need to talk about data privacy, bias in algorithms, and job displacement upfront.
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Rohit P
Great to see our consulate actively promoting our tech story abroad. These pre-summit briefings build important bridges. The involvement of US Congress members and Microsoft shows the summit's potential impact. Looking forward to 2026!

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