Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday hailed India’s hosting of the AI Impact Summit 2026, stating that the “digital world has returned to its homeland” and emphasising the need for inclusive global governance of artificial intelligence. He also highlighted India’s historical contributions to mathematics and computing.
“Here in Delhi, the digital world returns to its homeland. It was Indian mathematicians who bequeathed to us, more than 2,000 years ago, the binary system that would come to structure modern computing,” Lula said in a series of posts on X.
Calling the summit significant for being hosted in the Global South, he said the world stands at a critical juncture. “Our societies find themselves at a crossroads. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is advancing rapidly while multilateralism is dangerously retreating. In this context, the global governance of Artificial Intelligence assumes a strategic role,” he said.
President Lula stressed that every major technological innovation carries both promise and risk. Drawing parallels with aviation, nuclear technology, genetic engineering and space exploration, he said AI also presents ethical and political challenges.
“Algorithms are not merely applications of mathematical codes that underpin the digital world. They are part of a complex power structure. Without collective action, Artificial Intelligence will deepen historical inequalities,” he said, underscoring the importance of computational capacity, infrastructure and capital in shaping AI’s future.
He advocated for a multilateral, inclusive and development-oriented global governance framework for AI under the aegis of the United Nations. Lula noted that Brazil has engaged in various international forums, including initiatives led by BRICS, the G7-backed Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence and China’s proposal for an international AI cooperation organisation. However, he maintained that none could replace the universality of the UN system.
The Brazilian President also highlighted the Global Digital Compact adopted in New York in September 2024 and welcomed the formation of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence as an important global scientific body on the subject.
He said Brazil launched its Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan in 2025, aimed at improving public services, generating jobs and income, and enhancing quality of life. The Brazilian Congress is currently discussing a regulatory framework for AI and policies to attract investment in data centres.
Shortly after arriving in New Delhi, President Lula shared a video of the traditional welcome he received and described his visit as an opportunity to deepen strategic ties with India. He noted that the trip reciprocates Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brazil last year and builds on a strategic partnership established in 2006.
The Brazilian leader said bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $15 billion in 2025 and that a high-level business delegation is accompanying him to expand commercial relations.
Praising India’s intellectual heritage, Lula said the country’s contributions in science, arts and philosophy offer valuable ethical guidance as the world navigates the challenges posed by artificial intelligence.
President Lula will also hold bilateral talks with PM Modi on February 21.
