IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said India is focused on practical applications of AI, including enterprise productivity, and solutions for population-scale challenges such as healthcare, agriculture, and climate change.Speaking at a research symposium at the AI Impact Summit, the minister also expressed happiness over the strong participation and optimism shown by young people at an AI Expo on Tuesday. He informed that about 2.5 lakh attendees, mostly under the age of 30, took part across the exhibition area.“It was a phenomenal response when I interacted with the young minds. I was so surprised by the optimism that most of the young people expressed towards this opportunity which is coming for them,” Vaishnaw said. — with PTIQualcomm commits up to USD 150 million for Strategic AI Venture Fund in IndiaFebruary 18, 2026 12:12 pmGlobal chip major Qualcomm Incorporated plans to invest up to USD 150 million, or about Rs 1,360 crore, to support India’s rapidly expanding technology and AI startup ecosystem, the company said. The investments will be deployed through Qualcomm Ventures and will be made in startups across all stages, with a particular focus on AI for automotive, IoT, robotics, and mobile, the company said in a statement. The announcement coincides with Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon’s participation in the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. “Through our new Strategic AI Venture Fund, Qualcomm is investing in companies that are advancing the next chapter of AI in India,” Amon said.AI to revolutionise science, medicine; societal challenges need global cooperation: Google DeepMind CEOFebruary 18, 2026 12:10 pmGoogle DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis struck a note of “cautious optimism” saying AI is set to transform science and medicine but asserted that managing its societal challenges will require international dialogue and cooperation. Addressing a packed hall at India AI Impact Summit, Hassabis said the world is at a “threshold moment”, with Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) potentially on the horizon within the next five to eight years. “My message is one of, I would say, cautious optimism. So I think we’re on the cusp of an absolutely incredible transformation that’s going to bring incredible benefits in science and medicine specifically, is what I’m passionate about, and I can see revolutionising the way we deal with human health,” he said.Chinese products showcased at AI summit; irreparable damage caused to image of country: Rahul GandhiFebruary 18, 2026 12:00 pmCongress leader Rahul Gandhi dubbed the AI Summit a “disorganised PR spectacle” and alleged that Chinese products are being showcased there. “Instead of leveraging India’s talent and data, the AI summit is a disorganised PR spectacle – Indian data up for sale, Chinese products showcased,” Gandhi said in a post on X. The former Congress president’s remarks came amid a controversy over Galgotias University allegedly showcasing a robotic dog labelled “Orion” at the AI Summit expo that critics said was actually a Chinese-made Unitree Go2 and not an in-house innovation. According to sources, Galgotias University has been asked to vacate its stall at the AI Summit Expo immediately.Hopeful for a new future for India and the world: VaishnawFebruary 18, 2026 11:07 am“We, in India, are very focused on AI in the edge, AI for use cases, AI for solving real-world problems, AI for improving the productivity in the enterprises, for population-scale problems like healthcare, like agriculture, like climate change. These are things we are focused on here in India. And the AI submit brings that opportunity,” he said. The minister asked participants of the symposium to come out with solid concrete suggestions on how to make AI safe. AI is a great tool and should be used for the benefit of humans.Restricted access for delegates on Wednesday, Thursday; expo extended till 8 pmFebruary 18, 2026 11:05 amDelegates will get restricted access to the summit on Wednesday and Thursday due to VIP movements and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence at the venue, senior government officials have said. Delegates attending the conference at Bharat Mandapam will have to vacate the convention area by 4.30 pm as the PM will host dinner for state guests and business leaders post 6 pm, Meity officials said. Digital India managing director and CEO Akhil Kumar told reporters that the AI Expo area will remain open till 8 pm from February 18 onwards due to huge enthusiasm received by delegates.