New Delhi, February 18. Google DeepMind’s CEO and co-founder Demis Hassabis delivered a bold vision for artificial intelligence at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Speaking during a panel discussion, he predicted that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) will accelerate dramatically within the next five to eight years, opening massive opportunities for India’s young talent.
Hassabis highlighted the remarkable progress in AI over the past decade, describing the current phase as a ‘critical turning point.’ As the world races toward autonomous systems, he emphasized the summit’s role in uniting global communities. ‘Platforms like this are essential,’ he said, bringing together international stakeholders to shape AI’s future.
The DeepMind leader portrayed AI as ushering in a ‘golden age’ of scientific discovery. He credited reinforcement learning’s success to a simple principle: ‘Learning is the key, not programming.’ By enabling systems to learn directly from data, modern AI gains unprecedented power.
This advancement, Hassabis argued, could unlock breakthroughs across multiple fields, propelling human progress into a new era. For India’s burgeoning youth population, AI represents not just jobs, but a gateway to leadership in global innovation.
The India AI Impact Summit 2026, the first such global event in the Global South, draws over 100 government representatives, including more than 20 heads of state and 60 ministers. Additionally, 500+ AI leaders from CEOs, founders, academics, and researchers are participating in the five-day conference.
Discussions focus on leveraging AI for inclusive growth, strengthening public systems, and enabling sustainable development. Hassabis’s insights underscore why India is poised to become a powerhouse in the AI revolution, with its youth at the forefront.