India sets Guinness World Record with more than 2.5 lakh AI responsibility pledges in 24 hrs at AI Impact Summit 2026

New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, today announced that India has successfully achieved the Guinness World Records title for the "Most pledges received for an AI responsibility campaign in 24 hours," with a staggering 250,946 valid pledges received during the 24-hour period from February 16-17.
The announcement was made during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, in the presence of S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY); Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary, MeitY, CEO, IndiaAI Mission and DG, NIC; Kavita Bhatia, COO, IndiaAI; Srinivasan Iyengar, SVP and GM, Central Engineering Group, Intel; and Pravin Patel, Guinness World Records Adjudicator, who officially verified the achievement.
The nationwide AI Responsibility Pledge campaign, launched under the IndiaAI Mission in collaboration with Intel India on February 16, sought to mobilise citizens across the country to commit to the ethical, inclusive, and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence through the dedicated portal, aipledge.indiaai.gov.in.
The initiative encouraged participants to reflect on key principles such as data privacy, accountability, transparency, and combating misinformation through scenario-based questions, thereby reinforcing India's vision of building a trustworthy and human-centric AI ecosystem. Participants who completed the pledge received a digital badge and access to AI learning pathways.
Addressing the media, Vaishnaw hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of engaging youth in the responsible and ethical use of AI. "It is his vision that inspired us to reach out to colleges, engage with faculty members, and encourage students to take this pledge to use AI as a tool for the good of society -- as a technology that improves our lives -- and to ensure it is used responsibly. A special round of applause to the 250,000 students who have taken this pledge. This is truly a proud day for the country. This is the direction in which the nation must move -- towards a future where AI is embraced with responsibility."
The Minister highlighted that the record-setting participation -- far exceeding the initial target of 5,000 pledges -- reflects strong public engagement and growing awareness around responsible AI adoption. He noted that the campaign represents a significant milestone in citizen-led digital responsibility and demonstrates India's commitment to shaping the global AI discourse with a focus on inclusion, ethics, and public trust. (ANI)