The AI Summit in Delhi, officially titled the India AI Impact Summit 2026, commenced on February 16, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, marking a historic milestone in India’s technological evolution.
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the summit brought together global policymakers, AI researchers, creative technologists, startups, and over 2.5 lakh visitors, making it the largest AI gathering in the Global South.
With the theme “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya” (AI for collective welfare), the summit positioned artificial intelligence not merely as a technological revolution, but as a civilisational inflection point shaping India’s economic, educational, and creative future.
But beyond policy announcements and tech demos, one sector emerged as a powerful transformation zone: Design education and creative industries in the AI era.
This article explores the summit’s key highlights, India’s AI strategy, and how AI is redefining the future of design education in India.
What Is the AI Summit in Delhi and Why It Matters
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is a global AI conference hosted in New Delhi under the IndiaAI Mission. It focuses on ethical AI, multilingual foundation models, sector-specific AI deployment, and education reform to prepare India’s workforce for an AI-driven economy.
Held from February 16 – February 20, 2026, the summit featured:
- 500+ sessions
- 300+ live AI demos
- Representation from 13 countries
- 12 indigenous AI foundation models
- AI systems trained in 22 Indian languages
Under the IndiaAI Mission, India is building sovereign AI infrastructure to reduce reliance on global AI ecosystems.
The summit matters because:
- India’s AI market is projected to reach $17 billion by 2027
- AI adoption is accelerating across education, healthcare, governance, and creative sectors
- Universities must redesign curricula to remain relevant
This directly impacts design students, educators, and creative professionals.
Key AI Summit Highlights That Impact Education
AI Summit highlights emphasised education’s pivot to AI-driven learning, with sessions on human capital and higher ed readiness.
AI-Powered Classrooms – Sessions explored AI for teaching, assessment, and teacher hiring via generative tools.
Personalised Learning Models – AI Summit education panels advocated tailored pathways, boosting employability through data-led skilling.
Skill-Based Learning in the AI Era – Discussions on lifelong learning, industry collaborations for AI-aligned curricula.
Ethical AI in Education – Balancing innovation with safeguards, as Rishi Sunak noted in AI Summit highlights. Creative education AI emerges as key for future-proofing students.
AI in Design Education: A Major Focus Area
AI in design education gained traction via creative economy pavilions, showcasing AI for content and AVGC. AI design learning integrates tools for ideation across fields.
In fashion design, AI accelerates prototyping, fabric simulation, and trend prediction via platforms like Fashion Diffusion. Interior design leverages AI for rapid layouts; graphic design uses generative AI for visuals.
AI design tools: Restyle for iterations, predictive analytics for trends.
UI/UX benefits: Data-driven personalisation, faster prototyping.
This AI in design education shift emphasises human-AI collaboration, aligning with future of design education needs.
How AI Is Transforming Creative Industries
AI in creative industries is revolutionising workflows, as seen in MIB’s 51-startup showcase at the summit.
- Fashion: Virtual trials (TCS demo), AI restyling for collections.
- Film and Media: Immersive AI storytelling, generative content.
- Advertising: Predictive trends, automated assets.
- Digital Marketing: Personalised campaigns via AIanalytics.
Creative education must evolve to teach these, fostering AI-driven learning for hybrid roles.
AI Action Summit Takeaways for Design Institutions:
- AI Action Summit insights urge curriculum redesign for AI integration.
- Integrate AI design tools in labs for hands-on prototyping.
- Forge industry collaborations, like summit pavilions.
- Upskill faculty on ethical AI modules.
- Embed AI Summit education strategies for employability.
- Pilot AI literacy in design courses.
- These position institutions as thought leaders.
The Future of Design Education in an AI-Driven World
The future of design education in India will combine human creativity with AI efficiency. Students will need AI literacy, ethical awareness, and strategic thinking skills to thrive in hybrid creative roles.
Key shifts include:
- Designers becoming AI orchestrators
- Automation of repetitive tasks
- Greater emphasis on storytelling and conceptual depth
- Data-driven design decision-making
Routine execution is automated. Creative intelligence becomes premium.
How IMS DIA Is Preparing Students for AI-Integrated Creative Careers
IMS DIA aligns with AI in design education by updating curricula for AI design tools and practical training. It offers industry exposure via collaborations, mirroring summit models, and fosters innovation labs for fashion/UI projects. This prepares for future of design education, emphasising hands-on AI amid India’s creative boom.
FAQs
Q1. What was the focus of the AI Summit in Delhi?
The summit focused on ethical AI deployment across people, planet, and progress sectors, with strong emphasis on education reform, multilingual AI models, and creative industry transformation.
Q2. How is AI changing design education?
AI enables rapid ideation, prototyping, personalization, and predictive analytics, shifting design education toward strategic creativity rather than manual execution.
Q3. What are the most useful AI design tools for students?
Key AI design tools include Fashion Diffusion for restyling/trend prediction, generative platforms for graphics/UI.
Q4. What is the future of design education in India?
Future of design education involves AI-driven learning, hybrid skills, and industry ties for global competitiveness.
Q5. How can creative students prepare for AI-driven careers?
Students should master AI design tools, ethical frameworks, and collaborations, as summit insights recommend.