NEW DELHI — India stands at the forefront of global AI development, ready to influence both the benefits and dangers of advanced systems, according to Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic.

Amodei spoke at the India AI Impact Summit, emphasizing the nation’s key role. He highlighted the exponential pace of AI advancement. Models could soon surpass the cognitive abilities of most humans across numerous domains, he said.

This rapid evolution brings immense promise. Breakthroughs in health care and productivity loom large. Yet Amodei issued stark warnings. Misuse of AI poses serious threats. Economic disruption could follow as automation reshapes job markets.

“India would play a key role in shaping the opportunities and risks arising from increasingly powerful AI systems,” Amodei stated. His comments echoed a broader sense of urgency felt by industry leaders at the summit.

The event drew top executives discussing AI’s global trajectory. Amodei stressed the need for proactive measures. Governments and companies must address risks head-on, he argued. India’s growing tech ecosystem positions it uniquely to lead these efforts.

Anthropic, a U.S.-based AI safety firm, focuses on developing reliable systems. Amodei founded the company after leaving OpenAI. His remarks align with ongoing debates about AI governance. Nations like India, with vast talent pools and ambitious policies, could tip the balance.

AI’s potential to transform economies excites observers. In India, startups and research hubs multiply. Government initiatives pour billions into AI infrastructure. Still, Amodei urged caution. Exponential growth demands ethical guardrails now, before capabilities outpace controls.

Experts track milestones like improved reasoning and multimodal models. Amodei predicted human-level performance in specific tasks by 2026 or sooner. Broader superintelligence might arrive later this decade. Such timelines intensify calls for international cooperation.

India’s advantages shine through. Its engineers staff Silicon Valley giants. Domestic firms like Reliance and Infosys invest heavily. Talent from IITs fuels innovation worldwide. Amodei sees this as a springboard for leadership.

Risks demand attention. Deepfakes, cyberattacks and job losses top the list. Amodei called for strong safety research. Anthropic prioritizes alignment—ensuring AI follows human values. India could amplify such work, he suggested.

Summit panels explored regulation and investment. Leaders from DeepMind and elsewhere joined Amodei. Demis Hassabis, DeepMind CEO, separately touted India’s path to AI powerhouse status. The event underscored Asia’s rising clout in tech.

Amodei’s vision paints India as a key player. Its decisions on AI deployment will ripple globally. With progress accelerating, the window for responsible development narrows.