We apologise: Vaishnaw admits AI Summit mess

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday apologised for problems faced by attendees on the opening day of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 on Monday and promised a smoother experience in the coming days.

The “world's largest artificial intelligence summit” opened to packed halls on Monday. Huge crowds meant long queues and overcrowding, which were compounded by unclear instructions. Mobile data connectivity, too, was an issue.

"This is the biggest AI summit in the entire world. The response is phenomenal. The energy is palpable. We can see the organisation is very smooth now. If anybody has faced any problems yesterday, we apologise for that," he said at a media conference in the summit venue, Bharat Mandapam.

He said a war room was now operating to address any problems attendees face.

"Whatever feedback you have, please share with us. We are open-minded. We will make efforts to make the experience smoother and enjoyable for all of you," he said. "My entire team is working hard day and night for this summit."

The opening day drew thousands of attendees, including startup founders, global tech representatives, and international delegates. However, heavy footfall led to confusion, long queues, overlapping security checks, and temporary evacuation of some exhibitor stalls ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the expo happening alongside.

A few people reported misplaced or stolen goods amid the confusion of Day One.

Dhananjay Yadav, CEO of Neo Sapien, said his wearables were stolen.