NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Narendra Modi revealed India’s MANAV vision for ethical AI and led the country into a key US-backed technology alliance at the AI Summit this week, capping an event marked by substantial corporate investment pledges despite early organizational hiccups.

Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, announced Thursday that his conglomerate and its telecom unit Jio will invest $109.8 billion over the next seven years to develop artificial intelligence infrastructure and data centers. The pledge came on the summit’s second day, overshadowed briefly by controversy over a robodog demonstration from Galgotias University.

The Adani Group had revealed days prior a $100 billion commitment by 2035 for renewable energy-powered AI data centers. Microsoft followed with plans for $50 billion in investments by decade’s end to boost AI adoption in Global South nations, building on its prior $17.5 billion promise. Yotta Data Services, Tata Consultancy Services and Larsen & Toubro also revealed their own investment strategies, according to summit organizers.

Modi, addressing global leaders at the AI Impact Summit, described MANAV — Hindi for ‘human’ — as guiding India’s AI approach through five principles: Moral and ethical systems, Accountable governance, National sovereignty over data, Accessible and inclusive technology, and Valid and legitimate systems. ‘AI represents a transformation of human history,’ Modi said. ‘What we see today is just the beginning.’

The prime minister stressed that AI expands human capabilities, not just machine intelligence. Officials said the framework aims to align technological advances with India’s democratic values and development goals.

A standout diplomatic move saw India join Pax Silica, a coalition of trusted nations focused on the ‘silicon stack.’ The alliance targets critical minerals, semiconductor fabrication, advanced AI systems and deployment infrastructure. Participants aim to diversify supply chains, counter economic coercion and promote open governance of emerging technologies, according to the declaration.

Summit panels and closed-door sessions drew government officials, tech entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, researchers and civil society. Discussions tackled building privacy-safe datasets, supporting domestic innovation within global chains and ensuring AI serves democratic priorities.

Debates on regulatory frameworks compared models from various countries. Participants weighed how India could tailor rules to its context, emphasizing ethical AI through bias mitigation, explainability and transparency. Experts noted a consensus that tech leadership demands ethical grounding.

Past summits have seen lofty pledges falter in execution, with realization rates often lagging. Still, organizers highlighted tangible progress beyond rhetoric. The event could have better spotlighted startups, but it advanced key conversations on AI’s role in India’s future.

Attendance topped thousands, with sessions streaming live. Modi closed by urging collective action on AI’s promise and perils.