AI Impact Summit 2026: Human-centred governance at the core

On the third day of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, global leaders and experts examined how artificial intelligence can be integrated into digital public infrastructure (DPI) in ways that are safe, accountable and inclusive.

As DPI increasingly underpins health, education, social protection and public administration, speakers noted that AI systems embedded in these frameworks influence decision-making and the allocation of resources at scale. Trust, legitimacy and accountability were described as foundational elements of governance rather than technical add-ons.

Alar Karis, President of Estonia, said India’s progress in digital public infrastructure is shaping the global conversation on technology and inclusion. He noted that DPI now forms a structural pillar of modern state capacity and that, when AI is embedded into such systems, algorithmic transparency and human oversight are essential to maintaining public trust.

Bernard Maissen, State Secretary and Head of the Federal Office for Communications, Switzerland, emphasised the importance of international cooperation and capacity building in advancing responsible AI governance. He said digital public infrastructure must uphold standards of human rights, transparency and inclusivity, and that public authorities remain accountable for decisions supported by AI systems, including those developed by private actors.

Safeguards by Design

Taurimas Valys, Vice Minister of Lithuania, stressed that responsible AI requires strong public sector foundations. He cautioned that AI within DPI must not become a tool for surveillance or discrimination, and that inclusion should be built into systems from the design stage.

Framing AI governance as central to democratic legitimacy, Harry Verweij, Ambassador-at-Large for Artificial Intelligence at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, said efficiency must not come at the expense of dignity or fairness. Human rights, transparency and accountability, he said, should guide system design.

Practical Governance Mechanisms

A subsequent panel discussion explored lifecycle accountability, impact assessments, grievance redress mechanisms and participatory design processes. Speakers observed that governance failures often originate at early stages of institutional design and political decision-making, underscoring the need for early oversight.

Panellists included Prateek Waghre of the Tech Global Institute; Juan Carlos Lara of Derechos Digitales; Alexandria Walden, Global Head of Human Rights at Google; and Norman Schulz of the Federal Foreign Office, Germany.

The session concluded that inclusive international dialogue and shared standards are essential to ensure that AI embedded in digital public infrastructure strengthens democratic accountability and safeguards rights as adoption expands.