Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Satya Nadella Calls for Broad, Sovereign AI Access in India
Satya Nadella said AI should help ordinary people, not just large technology companies.
He especially mentioned farmers, businesses and communities in India.
He described a system that let a farmer use WhatsApp in a local language to learn about a government subsidy.
The system also tried to help with the paperwork.
Nadella said countries should keep control of their own knowledge and data.
He also said people will need to learn new ways of working as AI changes jobs.
India wants its AI development to be inclusive, open, safe and trustworthy.
More than 40 Indian-origin technology leaders attended the Seattle forum.
Companies also discussed investments and cooperation in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, quantum research and skills.
Satya Nadella urged technology leaders to make AI accessible to farmers, businesses and communities across India.
At a Seattle forum on September 17, Nadella said people worldwide should both benefit from and contribute to AI knowledge.
He highlighted a Delhi demonstration in which a farmer used WhatsApp and a local language to seek help with a government subsidy.
Nadella said countries and companies should retain control over their knowledge while developing distinctive AI products and services.
India’s ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, said AI adoption should emphasize useful outcomes, inclusivity, openness, sovereignty, safety and trust.
- Who
- Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, India’s Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra, and more than 40 Indian-origin technology leaders.
- What
- They discussed widening AI access in India, protecting national control over knowledge, adapting skills and expanding industry cooperation.
- When
- Nadella spoke at the forum on September 17, 2026; the event was reported on September 18.
- Where
- The Ideas4India forum took place in Seattle, United States; Nadella cited an AI demonstration he had seen in Delhi, India.
- Why
- Nadella said AI’s benefits depend on broad participation, while Kwatra emphasized useful outcomes, inclusivity, sovereignty, safety and trust.
- Event
- Ideas4India: Unlocking the Tech Dividend Forum in Seattle
- Participants
- More than 40 Indian-origin chief executives and chief technology officers
- Demonstration
- A farmer used WhatsApp and a local language to seek information about a government subsidy
- Nadella’s position
- AI should reach farmers, businesses and communities, with countries retaining control of their knowledge
- India’s AI principles
- Inclusivity, openness, sovereignty, democratised access, safety and trust
- Microsoft investment cited
- $17.5 billion in India during 2026–2029 for cloud and AI infrastructure, skills and operations
- Amazon investment cited
- $48 billion during 2026–2030, including AWS data-centre expansion in Mumbai and Hyderabad