I went to listen to the biggest minds in artificial intelligence, Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, Demis Hassabis, Yann LeCun, Brad Smith, and walked away thinking not about machines, but about people.
Because before the conversations on safeguards, the future of work, and responsible AI even began, there was a very earthly scene playing out at the gates of Bharat Mandapam. There was confusion, there were queues, and there was sloganeering.
At one point, amid security barricades and visibly anxious attendees, a few voices even broke into “Inquilab Zindabad!,” a slogan that felt wildly out of place at an AI summit, and yet perfectly in place at that moment of collective frustration.
But the satire of this was not lost on me. The world had gathered to discuss artificial intelligence, while outside, people were relying on the oldest, most human tools available, raised voices, questions, and shared confusion.
WHERE THE NOISE FADED
And then, you crossed inside, and then the energy shifted.
For a summit hosting some of the most influential AI leaders in the world, the halls were surprisingly sparse. Entire rows of seats were empty, and several delegate sections had visible gaps. This was not due to lack of interest in the sessions, but largely because many who were meant to be inside were still outside navigating access bottlenecks.
The result was a striking visual contrast: landmark conversations on the future of artificial intelligence unfolding in calm, near-quiet auditoriums.
Inside, the atmosphere felt unexpectedly unhurried. Instead of a tightly choreographed, high-security spectacle, the corridors of Bharat Mandapam moved at a steady, composed pace where leaders walked through the venue, paused for conversations, and interacted without visible frenzy.
Yes, there was seriousness, but not stiffness.
In one small but telling moment, my son walked up to Brad Smith (aka Microsoft president) to ask where Sam Altman’s session would begin. Smith paused, listened, and gently guided him in the right direction without any rush or interruption, not even ego. Just a polite exchange in the middle of a global summit.
It was a quiet interaction, but one that captured the tone of the space inside far better than any grand speech.
BIG TECH MET QUIET CONVERSATIONS
On stage, the messaging mirrored the mood in the corridors: measured, grounded, and notably calm.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, spoke about the transformative potential of AI while emphasising that societies have historically adapted to technological shifts, including changes in jobs. Dario Amodei addressed both the promise and risks of advanced AI systems, especially as they scale globally.
Demis Hassabis focused on the importance of responsible progress at a time when capabilities are accelerating, while Yann LeCun, characteristically composed, leaned into long-term research perspectives rather than alarmist predictions.
The tone of the sessions was not apocalyptic or sensational but careful, pragmatic, and centred on safeguards, governance, and responsible deployment. In a global climate filled with anxiety about job loss and automation, such conversations felt restrained and thoughtful rather than overdramatic.
The most memorable moments, however, were not the headline statements but the unscripted details.
At one point, Altman briefly walked towards the wrong end of the stage before doing a quick U-turn and returning to the correct speaking spot. A fleeting, almost endearing reminder that even the most influential tech leaders are, after all, human.
Equally striking was seeing Yann LeCun (ex Meta AI chief) seated quietly among the audience before being called on stage, without spectacle.
These were small scenes, but they said a lot about the character of the summit.
THE IRONY OF A HUMAN-CENTRIC AI SUMMIT
There was also a deeper significance to India hosting such a gathering. Bringing Altman, Hassabis, Amodei, LeCun and other global tech leaders under one roof signalled India’s growing centrality in global AI conversations. It was not just a conference; it was a statement about where the future of technology dialogue is headed.
And yet, the contrast lingered throughout the day. Outside, people were still navigating unclear instructions, access confusion, and crowd bottlenecks. Inside, some of the most important AI conversations of the year were taking place in near silence, with empty chairs quietly reflecting a logistical gap that could have been managed better.
If one word had to define the experience, it would not be “futuristic.” It would be “human.”
Human in its brilliance, because the world’s leading AI thinkers were in India, engaging in serious, grounded conversations. Human, also in its imperfections, because even a summit of this scale struggled with basic on-ground coordination. And, human in its irony, because while the discussions revolved around intelligent machines, the most lasting impressions came from small gestures, unscripted moments, quiet halls, and the contrast between chaos outside and composure inside.
My final words? For a summit about artificial intelligence, it did something unexpected. It slowed the room down, softened the tone, and reminded me of something simple: even at the grandest AI gathering, it is still people, confused at the gates, composed on stage, and quietly attentive in the audience, who shape how history actually feels when you are there.
And I was.
– Ends
Published By:
Deebashree Mohanty
Published On:
Feb 19, 2026
