Role Of Open Networks & Digital Public Infra in Scaling AI Highlighted At AI Impact Summit

New Delhi, Feb 20 (KNN) Digital public infrastructure (DPI) and open network architectures will be central to scaling artificial intelligence beyond pilot projects to population-level deployment, experts said during a session titled “AI and Open Networks: Creating Impact at Scale” at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Speakers noted that the trajectory of AI will depend not only on advances in model capabilities, but also on the institutional frameworks that enable innovation to reach millions.

Citing examples from healthcare, agriculture, scientific research and public service delivery, the panel highlighted India’s model of consent-based data systems, interoperable platforms and open participation as a foundation for large-scale AI adoption.

The session featured Nandan Nilekani, Co-founder and Patron of Networks for Humanity; Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson of Biocon; Sangbu Kim, Vice President for Digital and AI at the World Bank Group; Sunil Wadhwani, Founder of Wadhwani AI; and James Manyika, President of Research Labs, Technology and Society at Google and Alphabet Inc..

Discussions focused on making AI affordable, easy to use and accessible across languages. Panellists pointed to the importance of lowering inference costs, developing agent-based interfaces to simplify user experience and expanding multilingual capabilities to ensure that AI serves diverse populations.

Nilekani described AI as a general-purpose technology and emphasised rapid, productive diffusion. Drawing parallels with open digital architectures such as UPI, he said open networks enable multiple innovators to build applications at scale while reducing complexity for end users.

Mazumdar-Shaw highlighted the intersection of AI with India’s digital health infrastructure, suggesting that integrated health data systems could provide a replicable global model. She emphasised the objective of delivering universal health coverage at scale in a sustainable manner.

Kim stressed the importance of identifying elements of digital infrastructure that can be adapted across countries, noting that lessons from India are being examined in other regions. Mr. Wadhwani underscored that scalable AI deployment in the social sector depends on robust data pipelines and interoperable systems provided by DPI.

The session concluded that open networks and digital public infrastructure together form the institutional and technological backbone required to scale AI inclusively. By integrating low-cost inference, multilingual design and interoperable frameworks, countries can build AI systems that are both locally relevant and globally replicable.

(KNN Bureau)