India, Feb. 19 -- India's First AI summit in the Capital opened to a packed audience, as expected, where walking was an obstacle course, as usual, and "where is the right gate?" kinds of questions were as common as "Which AI model are you building?" ones. The chaos, queues, confusion, and overcrowding are, in an ironic manner, a part of the overall AI story in the country, which spills onto social media, and draws criticism. The atmosphere matters because the summit mirrors India's broader AI conversation. There is genuine energy, especially among the youngsters. Yet, there is a widening gap between the phrase, AI, and everyday uses in a sector that can work, scale up quickly, and pay for itself.

The official numbers underline why the ev...