Meta AI chief Alexandr Wang praises India’s AI startup ecosystem, credits country’s ‘talent pool’
Meta’s AI chief Alexandr Wang on Wednesday called India “very positive cases”, highlighting the country’s growing role as a global powerhouse in AI.
Wang, who left MIT, founded Scale AI in 2016 and led the company for almost a decade before being appointed to a senior position at tech giant Meta last year.
The 29-year-old executive attributes India’s growth to its large talent pool and rapidly expanding startup ecosystem: news agency ANI reported that the ongoing Artificial Intelligence Summit in the national capital brings together global leaders.
Wang was speaking at the ‘Governance in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Sovereignty, Influence and Strategy’ event in New Delhi, where he shared insights from his interactions with local entrepreneurs and noted that India is currently outperforming traditional technology hubs in certain AI sectors.
“I think India is a very positive case study, largely because of its talent pool. I was at a dinner with a few Indian founders and venture capitalists last night, and the statistic was that there are more consumer AI startups in India than in the United States,” Wang said during the event.
Growth in India’s tech landscape
The Meta executive also highlighted the rapid development of the Indian technology ecosystem, highlighting the high intensity of innovation within the country’s borders. “There are some really shining examples of the incredible development of these ecosystems,” he added.
These statements were made during a fireside chat with former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the sidelines of the ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026. MOMENT.
All about the artificial intelligence summit
The summit, scheduled to run until February 20, brought together government policymakers, industry AI experts, academics and civil society representatives from around the world to advance global discussions on the technology.
Some notable attendees include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Reliance Industries Chairman and MD Mukesh D Ambani, Bill Gates and several other company leaders.
The event is held in 10 arenas covering more than 70,000 m2, with 13 country pavilions highlighting international cooperation in the AI ecosystem. Participants include delegates from Australia, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Tajikistan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and African countries.
More than 700 sessions are planned throughout the summit period, covering themes such as AI security, governance, ethics, data protection, autonomous AI capabilities and the future of work.
The five-day summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being promoted as the first major international AI meeting to be held in the Global South. As excitement for the event grew, attendees complained about long queues, overcrowding and confusion at the venue.
