New Delhi — Artificial intelligence derives its true power not from raw intelligence alone, but from unprecedented speed. That velocity now disrupts industries worldwide, compressing decades of progress into mere months.

The Global AI Summit in New Delhi this week drew tech executives, investors and policymakers. Attendees networked furiously, displayed advanced tools and sealed partnerships. Sam Altman of OpenAI predicted superintelligence within years during one session. Yet beneath the optimism, speakers invoked 19th-century warnings. Dario Amodei of Anthropic likened AI labs to forging a ‘country of geniuses in a data center.’

AI agents already hire humans for tasks. Companies integrate one AI generation only to face obsolescence from the next. Massive capital spending kicks off in 2026, locking firms into endless upgrades. Indian IT giants like Infosys confront client pricing squeezes, heavy AI investments and fading traditional revenues, according to recent analysis.

Workers face stark choices. Skills prized two years ago yield to accessible AI tools. As novelist Kurt Vonnegut once observed, people risk becoming ‘second-rate machines’ or dependents on them. Optimists point to history: past disruptions like industrialization created more jobs than they destroyed. But those shifts spanned generations. AI compresses the timeline to months.

Investment scales mismatch returns. Tech behemoths pour billions into data centers and chips, betting lab breakthroughs yield profits. A Financial Times report questions valuations of major U.S. firms, citing overly rosy assumptions. India’s IT service stocks have slid as global tech spending shifts and AI deflates premiums.

Major players cannot pause. Halting expenditures would crater share prices. Over 30% of the S&P 500’s value now hinges on AI-linked companies, exposing markets to concentrated risk. Physical limits loom. AI’s energy demands strain power grids, forcing efficiency drives.

Jobs for plumbers and electricians may endure. Yet middle-class roles, fueling consumption, sit most vulnerable. A Bank for International Settlements paper this week warned AI could widen global divides. Nations race for supremacy, viewing AI as vital for military edge, surveillance and information control. The U.S. dominates chips, clouds and models. Others pursue ‘sovereign AI.’ India taps its talent pool and scale.

Social strains mount. Universities lose credential clout. Career paths turn unpredictable. Geopolitical tensions, trade wars and climate threats compound the chaos. Delhi summit’s voluntary pledges and inclusive rhetoric rang hollow against unmanaged speed. Organizers called for enforceable standards before development surges ahead.

Broad workforces remain untouched for now. Markets will sift hype from value. Open-source efforts counter hyperscaler dominance. Societies have weathered tech shocks before, though with heavy human tolls. India stands out as a growth bright spot, drawing investors at fair prices.

Uncertainty dominates. Powerful tools erode control over their path. Progress marches on, ragged and relentless.