India's AI summit opens to complaints of mismanagement, theft

India’s highly anticipated AI summit opened to scenes of mismanagement and confusion on Monday, February 16.

The attendees complained of long queues while exhibitors experienced logistical lapses.

The five-day event, organised in New Delhi is inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is marketed as the first major international artificial intelligence summit hosted in the Global South.

Around 100 countries are participating, with key attendees like Sam Altman of OpenAI and Sundar Pichai of Alphabet.

However, the first day was overshadowed by repeated complaints from delegates, founders, and exhibitors who reported hours-long waits, sudden hall closures, and confusion around security protocols.

Several attendees shared their experience on social media, describing being stranded outside exhibition areas. The attendees were also seen frustrated by last-minute evacuations ahead of the prime minister’s arrival.

Others cited problems like overcrowded sessions, delayed scheduling confirmations, and restricted access to booths.

Another prominent problem was theft. Dhananjay Yadav, founder of wearable AI startup NeoSapiens, alleged that products from his company’s booth were stolen from a “high security zone.”

Several delegates also complained about food vendors only accepting cash, which created a significant inconvenience for international visitors accustomed to digital payments.

Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw acknowledged the issues on Tuesday, February 17, apologising to exhibitors and announcing the creation of a “war room” to address complaints.