"India has crucial role in pulling world together on AI": CIGI Executive Director Duncan Cass-Beggs

New Delhi [India], February 16 (ANI): Underscoring India's pivotal position in global technology governance, Duncan Cass-Beggs, Executive Director of the Global AI Risks Initiative at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), stated that India has a "crucial role" in bringing the world together to address the emerging challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 that began on Monday, Cass-Beggs remarked, "I'm delighted to be here in India. I think that India would have a crucial role, just as we're seeing this week, in pulling people together from all corners of the world. And I believe India would have a lot to offer too in the international governance and international cooperation discussion around what might be needed for AI."
He emphasised that no single nation can address these global-scale challenges alone, underscoring the urgent need for international coordination.
Cass-Beggs further noted that the world must prepare for a full spectrum of possibilities, ranging from an "AI winter" to systems that recursively self-improve.
He cautioned that governments remain least prepared for scenarios involving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI).
"These would be systems that vastly surpass humans across all cognitive capabilities. And if that happens, these scenarios could really be a game-changer for all aspects of humanity -- in terms of prosperity, but also in terms of security and even the continued role of humans as the leading controllers of our destiny," he said.
Cass-Beggs also raised concerns about the ability to control such advanced systems.
"Particularly, one of the main concerns is that right now it may become possible to make systems such as artificial super intelligence before we know how to actually control them. And the whole world might have an interest in saying, hold on, wait -- let's not make artificial super intelligence until we can be sure that it can be controlled or done safely," he stated.
Clarifying that this did not imply halting technological progress, he emphasised AI's benefits.
"That doesn't mean we stop all AI. So much of the AI that we can and are producing will be tremendously beneficial for us -- in terms of economic prosperity, medical advances, and new green tech. We can have all that while at the same time working together internationally to define limits until we know it would be safe," he said.
With India hosting the summit at Bharat Mandapam, PM Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed world leaders, industry experts, and dignitaries.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister highlighted the summit's theme, "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya," meaning welfare for all and happiness for all, reflecting India's commitment to harnessing AI for human-centric progress.
PM Modi is set to inaugurate the India AI Impact Expo 2026 at the venue this evening.
An unprecedented roster of Presidents, Prime Ministers, Crown Princes, and leading global technology voices are participating in the event, which marks the first global AI gathering to be hosted in the Global South.
The summit will see participation from leaders across 20 countries, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will also attend.
Running till February 20, the Impact Summit showcases New Delhi's ambition to shape an AI future that is inclusive, responsible, and impactful, anchored in India's broader vision for sovereign AI. (ANI)