In a thought-provoking discussion at the Carnegie Global Technology Summit Innovation Dialogue 2025, Global South stakeholders shed light on the intricate relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential to revolutionize societies. The event, held in New Delhi, India, on December 11, brought together diverse voices to explore the challenges and opportunities in the AI landscape, particularly for the Global South.
The Power of Collective Influence
Shikoh Gitau, CEO of Qhala, emphasized the untapped potential of the Global South, home to 80% of the world's population. She argued that this demographic dividend, coupled with unique data sets and rare minerals, can be a powerful bargaining chip in the AI economy. Gitau highlighted the shared challenges between Africa and Asia, suggesting that collaborative learning can accelerate progress for both regions.
India's AI Leadership
India, a 'big brother' in AI talent, was a recurring theme. Gitau praised India's expertise, which is driving innovation hubs from Silicon Valley to Europe, as evidenced by talentindex.ai. She also noted Africa's critical experience in learning and digitisation, from early ID system digitisation to legal infrastructure reforms, which can contribute significantly to global AI development.
AI Literacy for Women and Youth
Shelly Sethi, founder of Mahila Prashikshan Sansthan, underscored the importance of expanding AI literacy for women and youth. She emphasized that India's next phase of progress depends on democratizing access to new technologies. Government schemes aimed at equipping young people, especially women, with the skills needed to participate in the AI-powered economy were highlighted.
AI for Maternal Health
Dvara Mungra, Co-Founder of SimPPL, described how AI can address information gaps that contribute to high maternal mortality rates in India. She introduced Sakhi, an AI-enabled tool delivering medically verified information reviewed by gynaecologists in local languages over WhatsApp, reducing delays in seeking the right information.
India as a Proving Ground
Shalini Kapoor, Chief Strategist at EkStep Foundation, described India as a unique proving ground for large-scale AI deployment. She quoted Nandan Nilekani, suggesting that India could become 'the test bed for AI adoption', where systems validated at scale can be replicated globally. Kapoor emphasized the importance of building concrete use cases in sectors like agriculture, education, and healthcare, supported by crucial horizontal enablers such as language technology, safety frameworks, and AI-ready data infrastructure.
Democratizing AI Development
Kapoor also highlighted India's efforts to democratize AI development, such as the IndiaAI Mission's efforts to make GPUs accessible to startups, and initiatives like AI4Bharat's open models for 22 Indian languages, sourced from cultural and linguistic heritage. She affirmed that 'AI is for all' and that India's approach could become a model for the entire Global South.
Looking Ahead
The Carnegie India-hosted Global Technology Summit Innovation Dialogue served as an official pre-summit event for the upcoming AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from February 15 to 20, 2026. As the discussion concluded, it left a lasting impression, highlighting the potential of AI to transform societies, but also underscoring the need for inclusive, scalable, and culturally sensitive approaches to ensure that no one is left behind.
