The World AI Summit 2025 – worldaisummit.com – is all set to bring together global leaders, policy-makers, and innovators for exchange of ideas and collaborate on building inclusive and responsible AI innovation.
Over the last two decades, Elets has built an unmatched platform for learning and strategic networking. It helps participants leverage emerging technologies and innovations for both government and private sectors in India. Known for its legacy of excellence, voices of leaders at Elets events consistently spark forward-thinking discussions and chart roadmaps for the future.
As we gear up for the World AI Summit, here’s a glimpse of insights on AI shared by leaders at past events.
Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister, IT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Departments, Government of Karnataka, shared the state’s AI strategy.
“The government of Karnataka is open for business, and we excel at it. Our Centres of Excellence focus on three key objectives: nurturing talent, building skills, and fostering innovation. We ensure these innovations address real-life problems and facilitate their commercialisation.”
Shalini Rajneesh, Additional Chief Secretary & Development Commissioner, Government of Karnataka, highlighted the importance of domain expertise in AI applications for governance.
“It is crucial to emphasize that domain knowledge of socio-economic parameters must be the foundation of any modeling, predictive analysis, or application. To achieve this, we should form teams that combine domain experts with IT professionals.”
Ethical and Inclusive AI in Financial Services
AI is reshaping financial services, but ethics and inclusion remain critical. Rakesh Ranjan, Chief Digital Officer, Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), emphasized:
“As AI reshapes the contours of financial services—from lending to fraud detection—it also raises fundamental questions about ethics, responsibility, and trust. Ethical AI isn’t just a compliance need—it’s the foundation of sustainable innovation. In fintech, AI without ethics is a liability. Innovation must be responsible, inclusive, and aligned with regulatory foresight.”
Ajay Kanwal, MD & CEO, Jana Small Finance Bank, shared a real-world example of AI-driven financial inclusion:
“At Jana Small Finance Bank, we are committed to revolutionising banking for underserved communities, leveraging technology for financial inclusion. Starting without legacy systems enabled our digital-first approach: 98% digital savings opening, 92% digital loans, and extensive e-signature use, with the Indian digital stack being a ‘blessing’. We use AI to genuinely solve consumer and bank problems, improving our operational work.”
Also Read : AI Policy, Ethics & Regulation: Karnataka Leads the Way
AI’s Impact on Enterprise and Global Economy
Arun Shetty, Director, Solutions Engineer, Cisco India & SAARC, spoke on AI’s global economic potential:
“AI is revolutionising the whole world. By 2030, it is expected to add $15.7 trillion to the global economy, and by 2035, it will boost productivity by 40 percent. Over 90 percent of organisations are projected to adopt AI in the near future.”
From a cloud and infrastructure perspective, Lokesh Lohiya, Head, India State Governments & PSU, Google Cloud, highlighted AI’s backbone:
“Google is often considered the founding father of Large Language Models (LLMs), which form the basis of many AI solutions today. Google’s networks connect the entire world, with approximately 40% of the global network running on Google services, demonstrating the resilience and reliability of Google’s infrastructure.”
Let’s Take the Conversation Forward at World AI Summit 2025
The World AI Summit 2025 is a must-attend event for anyone looking to stay ahead in the AI-driven world.
At the summit, you’ll hear directly from those accelerating India’s AI revolution, from government leaders to enterprise heads and innovation champions. Key speakers include Dr. Ekroop Caur, IAS, Secretary of the Department of Electronics, Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka; Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur, IAS, Director of the same department and MD of Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS); and leaders from the IT and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj Departments, Government of Karnataka. Other prominent voices include Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, CEO of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM); M. Balasubramaniam (Bala MS), CEO of Stratinfinity Inc and Deputy Chairman of the MoE & AICTE Investor Committee; Sandhya Vasudevan, Board Member & Fintech Chair at TiE Bangalore, former MD at Deutsche Bank & Thomson Reuters, and Independent Director & Trustee; and Sanjeev Rastogi, CEO of the Global Capability Center (GCC) at Adani Group. These and many more decision-makers will share insights on AI adoption, innovation, and the impact driving industries forward.
View full speaker list here.